Smile, Empty Soul
by Wingless Night
Summary: COMPLETED! SasuNaru. Naruto's parents (yes, he HAS parents) despise him and hate him more than anybody else does. So they take all of their anger out on him. What happens when Sasuke finds out that something's not quite right? WARNINGS: rapeincest
1. Bottom of the Bottle

_Okay, I decided to try this, because I haven't seen it done before. YAY!  
_  
**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.  
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc.  
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 01: Bottom of a Bottle  
**  
The day was beautiful. It was late spring, just before the summer heat, with the temperatures almost perfect. The sun shone overhead with fluffy white clouds wafting to and fro. The only bad part for most people would be that it was a school day.   
  
However, one child loved the fact that it was a school day. He didn't like school, but anything was better than what he had to deal with at home. Anything was better with what he had to go through whenever he was back home.   
  
His name was Uzumaki Naruto. At sixteen, he had already reached five foot eleven and was still growing. His spiky blonde hair was shining in the bright sunlight. His eyes were wide and innocent and showed nothing of what he had to deal with. They were deep pools and the color of the sky. Many had found themselves lost in them. His skin was tanned from being in the sun so much, since he found excuses to run around the town all the time.   
  
Someone bumped into his left shoulder, causing pain to flare. Naruto winced, biting his bottom lip. He closed his eyes, taking deep, even breaths  
  
"Naruto-kun?" an feminine voice asked.   
  
Naruto's eyes fluttered open. One of his classmates stood in front of him. She had short pink hair and the prettiest emerald green eyes that the boy had ever seen.   
  
"Hello, Sakura-chan," he murmured softly.   
  
"Are you okay, I'm sorry for bumping into you," the girl responded.   
  
"Aa, its okay," Naruto replied with his trademark grin. Sakura nodded and then ran off to catch up with her friend, Ino.   
  
Naruto scared after her, rubbing his shoulder. She hadn't hurt him. But his shoulder had been paining him since the night before, when he had come home too late for his father's liking. Naruto grimaced as he remembered what his father had done to him. Shaking out his blonde mane as the school bell rung, he hurried to class.   
  
**Been scared and lonely  
I asked myself, "is something wrong with you"  
My girlfriend told me  
I need some time alone to deal with issues**  
  
When he got into his class, Naruto took his normal seat at the back of the classroom. It wasn't hard to figure out why. The three whiskers on each side of the boy's face showed that he was feared.   
  
Even my own parents hate me, Naruto growled to himself. He folded his arms and buried his head into the crook of his elbow. He barely realized in his daze that a new kid was in the room.   
  
It was only when he got smacked in the forehead with a chalkboard eraser that he looked up.   
  
"NARUTO!" Iruka-sensei yelled.   
  
"Hai?" Naruto mumbled.   
  
"Stand up," was his teacher's reply.   
  
Grumbling to himself, Naruto stood. He braced his arms on the desk so that he wouldn't fall over. He was feeling tired and didn't like being disturbed in the middle of his sleep. Especially not by a chalkboard eraser.   
  
Iruka had turned back to the new student. "All right, Uchiha-kun," the man was saying. "You'll sit by Naruto."  
  
The new kid nodded. His black-blue hair was spiked in the back and his midnight eyes stared at Naruto before he began to move. Naruto sat down, not caring if Iruka yelled at him for that. Uchiha was wearing a wide-colored blue shirt and jeans. His face betrayed none of what he was feeling. Naruto shrugged to himself, feeling the black stare on him. He felt self-conscious all of a sudden.   
  
Uchiha took the seat next to Naruto, not speaking. In the front, Iruka-sensei had begun to teach the class history. Naruto took a sideglance at the new boy. Sasuke appeared to just be staring off into space, not showing that he saw anything around him. Naruto noticed that all of the girls in the class were staring at Sasuke and he could swear that a few of them were drooling.   
  
"Hmph," he sighed to himself, putting on his headphones. He could care less what was being taught. Besides, he needed to rest up. He hadn't gotten a lot of sleep in the past few weeks.   
  
A soft smile played at his lips as he heard the music blast in his ears and he fell into a somewhat peaceful sleep.   
  
**But something makes me carry on  
It's difficult to understand why I always want to fly**  
  
"Oy!" someone broke into Naruto's dreams.   
  
"What?" the boy growled, still half-asleep. Looking out through groggy eyes, Naruto saw none other than the new kid in front of him.   
  
"Class is over, dobe," the boy sneered.   
  
"So?" Naruto mumbled. The sentence hadn't been fully comprehended in his mind.   
  
"Well, since class is over and we have to do a project, I'd suggest getting up," Sasuke snarled.   
  
"Hn? Project?" Naruto inquired as he slowly worked out the kinks in his muscles and stood up. "What kind of project?"  
  
"A current events project about violence in schools. Y'know, guns and the like," the boy answered.   
  
"Okay, thanks for telling me, see you later," Naruto said. He turned to leave when Sasuke's hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder. Wincing slightly, Naruto turned around. "What?"  
  
"It's a group project, idiot," he said, rolling his eyes.   
  
The words took effect on Naruto immediately. "G-group?" he said, a blank look on his face. His eyes widened slightly as he stared at Sasuke. "Who's group am I in?"  
  
"Its you, me, Haruno Sakura, Rock Lee, Yamamoto Ino and Naru Shikamaru," Sasuke answered.   
  
"Okay. So, when do we meet?"  
  
"Now."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I was sent by Sakura and Ino to get you," he grumbled. Grabbing Naruto's shirt collar, he pulled the boy with him to the cafeteria, where he saw the other four in their group already sitting at a table together. He plopped Naruto ungracefully into one of the vacant seats and took the other one.   
  
"So, we have to do this on violence in the school system, right?" Ino asked.   
  
The others nodded dully. "Well, how do we do it, then?" Sakura asked. "Iruka-sensei said to be creative and if he had to listen to another six students speak in monotone for an hour, he would give them an automatic F."  
  
"So what's creative and has something to do with school violence?" Naruto asked, pulling out a piece of bread from his bookbag. The others, with their lunchtrays filled, looked at him as though he were crazy.   
  
"Is that all you're eating?" Lee inquired, his eyes wide under his annoying thick eyebrows.   
  
Naruto flushed, looking down at his lap, and nodded. The fact that he rarely ate wasn't something that he liked to discuss, even with people that he felt somewhat comfortable with. He was glad that it was these five in his group, rather than some of the other students who would've killed him by now.   
  
"Its okay though," Naruto lied with a big fake grin on his face. "I eat too much when I'm at home, so I don't like to eat as much when I'm at school." In truth, the boy was usually starving when he was at home and at school, but he didn't have the money to get anything.   
  
The others merely nodded and went back to their discussion. Naruto let out a small sigh of relief, glad that he was able to escape that inquiry.   
  
**I do it for the drugs  
I do it just to feel alive  
I do it for the love  
That I get from the bottom of a bottle**  
  
Later that day, Naruto crept into his house. He listened closely for any movement from his parents. Determining that the cost was clear, the boy slipped his shoes off and walked quickly, but quietly, through the murky indoors. He finally came to a stop outside of his room. Just as he was about to open the door and walk inside, something grabbed him by his already bruised shoulder and slammed him into the wall. Naruto had to purse his lips tightly to prevent any sound from escaping. He looked up fearfully into the eyes of his father.   
  
Uzomaki Yon was a large man, strong and tall. He easily pinned his son to the wall, blue eyes glaring down at the boy.   
  
"So, where have you been, Naruto-kun?" the voice whispered.   
  
Naruto could smell the booze on his father's breath and had to fight from gagging. Yon smirked evilly, his head moving closer to the boy. Unconsciously, Naruto curled back into the wall, hoping to find some way to escape his father. However, nothing helped him.   
  
His father crashed his lips against Naruto, nipping slightly at the boy's bottom lip. He trailed kisses down Naruto's neck, occasionally biting and sucking on the skin that was there. Naruto shivered, fear running up and down his spine.   
  
Without Naruto realizing it, for his mind was in a fogged state, Yon had twisted Naruto around so that the man's erection was brushing against Naruto's ass. Without warning, Yon ripped Naruto's pants down and shoved himself into his son. Naruto screamed as his father thrust harder and faster into him. Tears ran down the boy's cheeks as his father came inside of him.   
  
Smirking, Yon smacked the boy's face and walked away. Naruto dragged himself into his room, shutting the door behind him. Pain laced through his entire being and he was sobbing uncontrollably into the stained carpet of his room. He didn't even have the energy to pull his pants back up before blackness set in as he fainted.   
  
**You always call me  
And ask me how I make it through the day  
I'm always falling  
I guess its just God's way of making me pay  
  
**When Naruto awoke the next morning, he took a quick shower. Wrapping a towel around himself, he looked at his reflection in the mirror. His blue eyes were puffy and red from crying and his lip was split, still a little bloody, from Yon's fist. Naruto dressed quickly, pushing all thoughts of what had happened the night before out of his mind as he dashed off to school. His butt was sore and his lip throbbed, but he tried to smile and act the same way he did every other day. He had managed to clean his eyes so that they did not look as puffy. They were still a bit red, but that wasn't really noticeable.   
  
"Naruto!" someone yelled. Naruto looked around, trying to figure out who was calling him. Sasuke Uchiha ran up behind him.   
  
"Nani?" Naruto asked, stifling a yawn that was trying to escape from his mouth.   
  
Sasuke looked at the boy. Concern flashed over his features as he saw the split lip that hadn't been there the day before. The puffiness of Naruto's heavenly blue eyes hadn't escaped him either, nor did the slight waddle in his walk that pointed to the blonde being in a lot of pain.   
  
"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked. "What happened?"  
  
"Nothing," Naruto replied readily. He wasn't that easy to let others privy to his thoughts and feelings and he didn't really want to change that anytime soon.   
  
"Then where did that split lip come from?"  
  
"I was in a fight yesterday and the boy punched me," Naruto snarled. "Now leave me the fuck alone!" He stormed off angrily, not even realizing that he had just helped Sasuke's suspicions that something was wrong.   
  
He made his way to class, putting on his headphones and going to sleep. He hoped that no one would bother him today. The rest of the class filed in a little while later. Sasuke kept on sending worried glances in Naruto's direction, as did Sakura – who had known Naruto since they were seven.   
  
What's he hiding? Sasuke wondered as he copied notes down. While Iruka-sensei was telling them a little bit more about their project, Sasuke began to draw.   
  
The picture he made was one of a fox, curled up to sleep. For some reason, this fox had nine tails and his face looked restless, as though having a peaceful sleep was a dream of itself.   
  
Looking at it, Sasuke didn't miss that the picture seemed to remind him a whole lot of Naruto. He stared at Naruto's head again, thousands of questions running through his mind. He hoped that the boy would be able to pull through whatever he was going through.   
  
As the end of class drew nearer, Naruto woke up and yawned. His bright smile was back on his face as he looked around the classroom, then found himself contented with staring at the clock on the wall. Only ten more minutes, he thought to himself as he turned back to Iruka-sensei.   
  
**When I wonder why I try  
And I wonder why I bother  
And I wonder why I cry  
Why I go through all this trouble**  
  
"Is that really all you eat?" Sasuke asked Naruto at lunchtime. For the second time in a row, the blonde had brought nothing but a few pieces of bread.   
  
"I'm fine," Naruto snapped back.   
  
Their group wasn't meeting today, so the two boys were enjoying the nice weather by eating outside under the cherry blossom trees.  
  
Sasuke looked at his large lunchbox. He slowly divided everything up exactly in half and then pulled out a spare pair of chopsticks. He handed the utensils to Naruto.   
  
Naruto stared at them as though they were foreign objects. "Wha-?" he began before Sasuke cut him off.   
  
"Eat," the boy ordered. "You look like shit."  
  
Not really finding the strength to argue, Naruto did as he was told, taking small bites. It felt so good to eat lunch again – and not just a crummy piece of bread. Naruto shook his head a little bit as he felt envy rise within his chest.   
  
I'd rather have all of this shit happen to me than to someone else, he thought to himself.   
  
"Arigato!" he cheered before digging in more greedily.   
  
"Hey!" Sasuke shouted playfully. "That's my rice."  
  
"Nah, its too good to just let you have all of it," Naruto grinned at the boy. Sasuke felt a faint blush on his features, shaking it off quickly.   
  
Sometimes it felt good to have a friend there for you.   
  
**I do it for the drugs  
I do it just to feel alive  
I do it for the love  
That I get from the bottom of a bottle**  
  
_Hey, minna! Its Kyuubi-chan and this is my new fic. looks up at the lame excuse of a sex scene Well, its my first one, so I didn't expect it to be that great. I suppose it actually sucks a lot, but I don't care. Its more fun just to write something like this. As you can see, Sasuke and Naruto are getting along fine. I wonder if I should continue that or have something inherently evil happen to them. I'm not entirely sure. Please, if anything in this chapter offended you, I warned you at the beginning about what you should expect. Therefore, you're the only one to blame for reading further.   
  
This is going to be a series of song fics. I just like doing it that way. The songs are from the Smile Empty Soul CD. The chapter titles will be the song title names, okay? That way I'm just putting a big disclaimer in now and I don't have to worry about it later, neh?_


	2. Silhouettes

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.  
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.  
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 01: Silhouettes**  
  
Naruto looked around him. It was about a week after he and Sasuke had started to share lunch and now Sasuke was bringing extra lunch just so that Naruto could have some. The entire idea of a "friend" was strange to the boy. As he waited for Sasuke to show up at their lunchtime meeting spot under the cherry blossoms, he contemplated why Sasuke would do this.   
  
The boy didn't have a reason to be nice to Naruto. It wasn't as though Naruto had tried to be kind to him. He lay back, staring at the blue sky through the pink petals. He loved the outdoors. Anything that was green and growing and smelled like anything besides alcohol and cocaine, he loved.   
  
The nagging thought in his mind persisted. Why was Sasuke being so fucking nice? It bothered Naruto after all the years of people shunning him to have him feel like this… like he was actually wanted in society.   
  
I wonder if I should ask Sasuke when he comes, Naruto thought to himself.   
  
"Oy!" a voice yelled. Naruto quickly sat up. Sasuke was hurrying over.   
  
"Hey, Sasuke," the blonde greeted as the raven-haired boy made his way closer.   
  
"Hello," Sasuke replied. He got out his bento lunch (box lunch) and handed a pair of chopsticks to Naruto. After they had been eating for ten minutes, trading jokes and bitching about teachers, Naruto felt that he had to say something or he would go insane just thinking about it!  
  
"Ano… Sasuke," he began.  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Why are you being so nice to me?"   
  
There he had said it. Unconsciously, he curled his knees up to his stomach, placing his arms around them. He looked at Sasuke seriously as the other boy thought over how he would answer.   
  
"I don't know," Sasuke finally answered. He looked directly at Naruto's eyes. "You just seem to be the only person in this entire fucking school that doesn't drool whenever I walk by. And you're pretty nice, a good friend. I don't know why everyone is such a fucking asshole to you."  
  
Naruto chuckled, envisioning this. Sasuke smiled as well.   
  
"So… Naruto?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Since this is Question Day or whatever, I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"Why don't you have your own lunch?"  
  
Naruto paled, trying to figure out how to answer this. He couldn't use the same excuse that he had used last week. That would be stupid, especially since he kept eating more than his share of the lunch that Sasuke brought with him. He was trying to think up a reason when the two heard the sounds of someone or someones approaching them.   
  
YES! Naruto thought in his head. I'M SAVED BY… he took a quick glance over. Shit… Haruno Sakura and Yamamoto Ino: The Presidents of the Official Uchiha Sasuke Fangirl (and guy) Club. (As you can see, there were a few Unofficial Fangirl/Fanboy clubs running around, but this one was the largest)  
  
Naruto gulped silently as he saw both of them glare daggers at him for being the only person who ate with Sasuke nearly every day. Sasuke just kept his emotionless mask up as Sakura and Ino began to berate him about why he would hang out with "loser Naruto." Naruto took this chance to escape.   
  
**Silhouettes above the cradle hold me down  
They won't let me go the wrong way  
My mother taught me all the fables  
Told me how in the end all the sinners have to pay but  
**  
After lunch, the class had gym with Kakashi-sensei. It was always weird, because the grey-haired teacher would always be reading a pervert book called Icha Icha Paradise (Come Come Paradise, for those who don't know). Yet he always caught the kids if they were doing something bad.   
  
In the locker room beforehand, Naruto was changing into his gym uniform. He could almost feel the bruises appear on his back, arms and legs as he moved. It wasn't that great of a feeling.   
  
Sasuke looked at him from the locker right next to him. When Naruto wasn't paying attention to what he friend was doing, Sasuke poked one of the bruises, causing the blonde to hiss in pain.   
  
"Where did you get these, dobe?" Sasuke asked, his voice low so that the other boys in the locker room wouldn't hear him.   
  
"N-n-nowhere," Naruto stammered, quickly putting on the ugly bright yellow gym shirt to cover up the wounds. He grinned good-naturedly at Sasuke and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Well, I'll see you out there."  
  
As soon as he rounded the corner, he leaned against the wall, sighing with relief. He would definitely need to be more careful. He had almost been caught. If someone knew what his parents were doing… Naruto shuddered… he really didn't want to find out what Yon would do to him in revenge.  
  
Shaking his head sadly, he made his way out to the gymnasium, where the exercises took his mind off everything except what he was doing.  
  
**I don't want to live like my mother  
I don't want to let fear rule my life  
I don't want live like my father  
I don't want to give up before I die**  
  
After school, Sasuke got into his car. His brother, Itachi had just bought it for him when he got his license. Sasuke revved up the beat up black Honda and began to drive slowly home. He was surprised to see Naruto walking by himself away from the school building. He stopped the car by the blonde.   
  
"Oy, Naruto!" he called.   
  
The boy looked around him, startled, before noticing the car by him. "Hey, Sasuke."  
  
"Want a ride home?" Sasuke asked.   
  
"It'd be too bothersome," Naruto grumbled. He really didn't want anyone near his house. It was more for their own safety.   
  
"No, it wouldn't be any trouble," Sasuke assured the boy.   
  
Still, Naruto shook his head. "Thanks, but no thanks, it's not that far anyway and I like to walk," he lied. He definitely needed to find better excuses for his friend. He was sure that Sasuke was beginning to suspect something.   
  
However, instead of pressing the matter, Sasuke just nodded his head and went on his way, leaving Naruto to walk home.   
  
**He works so hard his bones are breaking  
He wore them down  
But long ago he lost the feeling  
His good intentions leave me shaking  
Show me how  
I don't ever want to end up like he did**  
  
"You shitty little asshole!" Naruto's mother, Jenny, screamed. She brought he hand down on the side of his head, knocking him into the wall. Naruto winced and curled up.   
  
"I'm sorry," he murmured softly, tears falling down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"  
  
Jenny didn't hear him, didn't listen or just plain didn't care. She kicked the boy hard in the side. He recoiled before she finally grew bored of him and left. Naruto fled to his room, locking the door behind him.   
  
Sitting in the corner, he pulled out something from under his desk. The pocketknife gleamed at him.   
  
Slowly he placed it on his left wrist and pressed it into the skin. He was about to rake it backwards, finally ending his paltry existence when something entered his head.  
  
_You just seem to be the only person in this entire fucking school that doesn't drool whenever I walk by. And you're pretty nice, a good friend. I don't know why everyone is such a fucking asshole to you.  
_  
Sasuke… he realized, and then, just as his arm moved back on its own accord, he lightened the pressure. Gazing at the bubbling wound, Naruto knew it would leave a scar, but it wasn't deadly.   
  
Feeling a strange sort of power at seeing the blood, Naruto experimented with a few sideways slashes, making designs in his skin with the blade. Sleep claimed him soon after and he hid the pocketknife. He didn't hide it because he thought that his parents would be disappointed. He hid it because he didn't want it used against him.   
  
Curling up in the corner that he was in, Naruto fell into an uneasy sleep.  
  
**I don't want to live like my mother  
I don't want to let fear rule my life  
I don't want to live like my father  
I don't want to give up before I die**  
  
The next day, Naruto awoke bright and early. Looking in the mirror, he gave a hollow laugh. "I look like shit," he grumbled. Just as he was about to turn away, his eye caught a flash of red. Staring into the mirror, he saw the reflection of the arm he had cut the night before. The blood had dried, sticking to his skin. Cursing himself for his stupidity, Naruto quickly ran to the bathroom. He slammed the lock on it shut and began to wash off the blood in the sink.   
  
After getting the last of it off, he saw the dark, thin lines where the knife had sliced him. He rushed around the bathroom, finally finding an ace bandage in the closet. He wrapped his arm in it, hoping that no one would care to notice it that much. He went back to his room and pulled on a long-sleeved shirt with a t-shirt over it and some black, baggy pants. Grabbing his book bag, he made his way silently out of the house, only able to breathe easier when he was a block and a half away.   
  
Naruto took out his CD player and made his way to school, softly singing in tune to Zeromancer. He finally made it to school. Glancing at the clock on the wall in the hallway, he swore. It was only seven thirty in the morning. No one would be coming in for another half-hour. Shrugging off his book bag, he stepped into his classroom and took his seat by the window.   
  
**When I have kids  
I won't put any chains on their wrists, I won't  
I'll tell them this  
There's nothing in this world that   
You can't be if you want it enough  
**  
Sasuke parked his car, his mind still on his best friend. In fact, Naruto was the black-haired boy's only friend. The blonde never judged Sasuke for being an Uchiha. I don't even think Naruto cared that he was from a prestigious and rich family. Naruto saw Sasuke as Sasuke.   
  
Sasuke smiled to himself as he sat in his black Honda. It wasn't as though he was reluctant to go inside: he couldn't care less! It was just that, for the moment, his mind was filled with thoughts of the blonde. He slowly shook his head, staring out the window. Slowly, he got out of his car, grabbed his knapsack and made his way into the school building.   
  
Inside, Sasuke decided to just go right to his homeroom. There wasn't really anything else to do, anyway. He wasn't surprised to find that Naruto was sitting in his usual corner chair, his eyes closed and singing to his music. Sasuke walked over to his friend and slammed his book bag onto the desk.   
  
Naruto jumped a foot into the air. "Shit, Sasuke!" he yelped. "What was that for?"  
  
Sasuke smirked. "Nothing, dobe," he sneered.   
  
Naruto just grinned back. So the raven-haired student had been teasing him again. What else was new?  
  
"So, what's for lunch today?" Naruto asked expectantly, putting his headphones away.   
  
"It's a surprise."  
  
"Aww… what is it, Sasuke-kun," Naruto whined.   
  
Sasuke just smiled mysteriously and left it at that. He was going through his book bag when a hand snaked its way into the sack and pulled out his sketchpad. Sasuke looked at it with widened eyes as Naruto began to flip through it. All of the sudden, the boy stopped.   
  
"Kawaii desu!" he yelled, a genuine grin on his face as he looked at the drawing.   
  
Sasuke looked over and peaked at what he was talking about. It was the picture he had drawn earlier of the Nine-Tailed Fox, curled up and sleeping with its head on its paws.   
  
"You like foxes?" Sasuke asked, looking at his friend.   
  
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. He definitely loved foxes. They were his favorite animal in the entire world. That's why Kyuubi was a fox.[1] He smiled as he thought of Kyuubi.   
  
Noticing how hot it was, and forgetting all about his little fiasco with the knife the night before, Naruto rolled up the sleeves to his shirt.   
  
Sasuke, who was smiling just a moment ago, looked at him with concern. He saw the ace bandage, and he noticed the blood seeping through it slowly.   
  
"What happened, Naruto?" he asked in a deadly serious voice.  
  
Naruto looked at him, confused. "Nani?" he asked.   
  
Sasuke grabbed the boy's left wrist, noticing how Naruto winced in pain. He thought he heard the boy mutter, "oh… that" but wasn't completely sure.   
  
"What happened?" Sasuke asked again.   
  
"It's nothing," Naruto tried to assure him, grinning. He tried to pull his wrist back but Sasuke had a firm grip on it. His face was serious and his voice dangerously low.   
  
"Tell me, Naruto!" he pleaded, still not releasing the boy's hand.   
  
"I did. It's nothing," Naruto responded. Sasuke didn't miss the fear in the boy's eyes, no matter how much Naruto tried to disguise it.   
  
"Fine… I won't press you… this time," Sasuke growled, turning back to his sketchpad (he recovered it from Naruto a few minutes beforehand) and began to draw.   
  
"Are you mad at me or something?" Naruto whispered quietly as the rest of the class began filing in.   
  
Sasuke didn't answer.  
  
"Ne… Sasuke?"  
  
Still nothing.   
  
"Sasuke!"   
  
Ignored.   
  
Sighing, and feeling tears well in his eyes, Naruto turned back to the front of class, being sure to pull his sleeves down so that no one else could see the bloody sight.   
  
**And I don't want to live like my mother  
I don't want to let fear rule my life  
And I don't want to live like my father  
I don't want to give up before I die  
**  
_[1] In this fanfiction, Kyuubi is Naruto's invisible friend, okay? I got the idea earlier, so that's how Kyuubi is in this story.  
  
Okay, that's it for Chapter Two of "Smile, Empty Soul." Here's where I get to thank all my reviewers.   
  
**ITSAME** – Hopefully ff.net won't catch me. It kinda makes me feel like a phantom thief or something. Don't ask me why. Too much anime for Kyuubi-chan. That's all I've got to say. Moving on, however… I'm glad you liked the first chapter and hopefully the second chapter wasn't completely horrible.   
  
**Lone Ronin** – yeah, I know its not completely original, but I had never seen it done with Naruto before. And instead of doing the entire hate to love thing. I decided to have them start out as friends instead of rivals. I think that makes it seem more realistic, neh? I love Smile Empty Soul too. The next chapter is one of my favorite songs on the track. Nowhere Kids. WHOO I GET BONUS POINTS FOR TASTE IN MUSIC ((runs around screaming and waving a big cow))  
  
**To Rai-chan, Ookima, seOsiris and Kisu** thank you so much for reviewing! I love you all! Here, have cookies. passes out lots and lots of cookies_


	3. Nowhere Kids

_YAY! Kyuubi gets to come in in this chapter, as Naruto's invisible fox friend. Init cute? . I'm always reminded of a fox when I do this._   
  
**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.  
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc.This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.  
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 03: Nowhere Kids**  
  
Class dragged by slowly for Naruto. He hated that he had lost his only friend – or it felt like he had lost his only friend. After all, Sasuke was ignoring him and Naruto was feeling horrible about it. He had no one to blame but himself for this one – unlike most of his problems.   
  
When the bell rang for lunch, Naruto was wondering what he was going to do. Sasuke hadn't said a word to him all morning, so he doubted that he could mooch off of the Uchiha boy.   
  
Still, Naruto found himself walking towards the cherry blossom trees, where he and Sasuke would always meet to eat. He sat down, not really knowing where else to go.   
  
He heard a slight purr from beside him and turned towards it. His eyes and entire face lit up when he saw Kyuubi, his bestest best friend. The red fox had nine tails that swished about lazily. His black nose and red eyes were looking at Naruto.   
  
"Are you okay?" Kyuubi asked.   
  
Naruto shrugged, leaning against the tree. "I don't know," he finally admitted.   
  
"Tell me what's wrong," Kyuubi demanded, climbing up onto Naruto's stomach. The fox was small, not much bigger than a middle-sized cat. Its sleek red fur shone in the spring sun.   
  
"All right, all right," Naruto said, laughing slightly. "I had this new friend, Sasuke. And then, well…" He told Kyuubi all about what had been happening at home, and what Sasuke had noticed this morning.   
  
"I wish I could help you more, little kit," Kyuubi said, curling up on Naruto's stomach. "Alas, woe is me who can't help my friend."  
  
Naruto chuckled at Kyuubi's imitation of a tragic lover. He put his paw over his eyes and leaned away, frowning as he spoke. The entire site was amusing for the boy and he could remember when Kyuubi and him used to play together all the time.   
  
**In the land of dirt and plaster  
Lies an army of a thousand nowhere kids  
Losing ground and falling faster  
Into a life that no one should have to live**  
  
"Who are you talking to?" a voice asked, startling Naruto out of his reverie. He saw the Kitsune on his stomach look up into the tree he was leaning against, eyes narrowed and teeth bared.   
  
Naruto slowly raised his head. He saw Sasuke sitting on a branch just above his head. The boy was looking down at him as though he were crazy.   
  
"I'm talking to the tree," Naruto said with a childish grin. "My mo-" He paused for just a moment, his voice choking in his throat. "My mother once told me that if you tell your troubles to a tree you hang out at a lot, then the tree will help them go away." Naruto's blue eyes gained a faroff look. His mother had told him that – years and years and years ago.   
  
Tears threatened to fall down his face as he remembered the times when his mother had been nice to him. It had only lasted until he had told her about his invisible friend at the age of seven. All of the sudden, she became almost as horrible as his father. He could never understand why.   
  
"That's weird," Sasuke said bluntly. He jumped from the tree, landing in a crouched position next to Naruto. Naruto wasn't startled by the falling boy landing near his head. Sasuke did it often enough. Yet never had he once fallen on Naruto. At first, Naruto did jump, but now he knew Sasuke wouldn't fall.   
  
"Yeah… you could say that," Naruto mumbled to himself. Sasuke looked at him strangely again. Putting on one of his gigantic trademark grins, Naruto stared at Sasuke expectantly. "Foooooood," he growled in a low monotone.   
  
Sasuke grinned. "Come with me."  
  
Naruto did as he was told. Kyuubi was now riding his shoulders. ("I want to get to know this Sasuke," the fox had told Naruto). Naruto had only shrugged and allowed it. There wasn't much else he could do. The fox had teeth and claws that hurt. Naruto didn't. He just had the whiskers.   
  
**We are the people that you hate  
We are the bastards that you created   
A generation with no place  
A generation of all your sons and daughters**  
  
"Ne… Sasuke, where are we going?" Naruto complained after walking several blocks away from the school.   
  
"Ichiraku," Sasuke replied. "My treat."  
  
"Ichiraku?" Naruto echoed, puzzled.   
  
"Don't tell me you've never had ramen."  
  
"Ra…men…?"  
  
"You need to live life, Naruto, now come on and learn what good food really is. My treat."  
  
Free food. That made Naruto rush faster after Sasuke. Kyuubi was clinging to the boy's shirt, ripping holes in it from his claws.   
  
Sasuke grinned when he saw his best friend's response to the words "my treat." He was running faster than the wind, almost. Sasuke and Naruto soon arrived at Ichiraku, completely out of breath.  
  
The owner of the shop was behind the counter looking bored when he saw the two teenagers burst through his door.   
  
"Hello, welcome to Ichiraku, what can I get you?" he said with a grin. His ramen shop had been doing poorly as of late, mainly because of the fast food restaurants that kept popping up around the place. Young people liked their food as quickly as possible. He didn't know that the blonde boy in front of him was going to change his business single-handedly.   
  
"Two bowls of miso ramen," Sasuke said, pulling out the correct money and handing it to the man.   
  
The owner, Ichiraku (the store and the man are going to be named the same), nodded before inviting them to sit at the bar whilst he made their food. He got them two sodas after they ordered them.   
  
**Behind the fake family image  
Behind the smiles of a thousand moms and dads  
Inside the cage that we've been given  
I see an image of the future that we don't have**  
  
"MMMMM! It's delicious!" Naruto yelled after he finished his fourth bowl of ramen. "Ne… Sasuke-kun, treat me to another. Pleeeeeease!"  
  
Sasuke laughed. "Are you sure you can handle it, dobe?" he asked. You've already eaten four bowls."  
  
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. Kyuubi watched silently from the corner. Naruto was ignoring him, though not entirely on purpose.   
  
"So, Sasuke-kun, is there anyone you like at school?" Naruto asked as Ichiraku set a fifth bowl of ramen down in front of the boy. He began to slurp it up immediately, whilst staring at Sasuke, waiting for an answer.   
  
Sasuke looked at him, his mouth dropping to the floor. (he was still on his second bowl, for one thing. And the question was completely unexpected for another). o.O  
  
"Maaameee?" (Nani) Naruto asked through a mouthful of ramen.   
  
Sasuke shook his head. "No one," he replied.   
  
Naruto looked at him in shock, slurping up the last of his fifth bowl. "Honto ne (really)?" he asked.   
  
"Hai," Sasuke replied.   
  
"Damn, and here I thought that you just couldn't choose between your eleven fan clubs," Naruto said. He twiddled his chopsticks in his hand, staring out the front of the ramen shop. Suddenly, his breath caught in his throat and he looked out the door with nothing less than utter terror.   
  
Sasuke was looking away. When he heard a small gasp next to him, he turned back to Naruto, stunned to see the expression on the boy's face. His eyes were wide and fearful while his bottom lip trembled slightly. And if Sasuke didn't know any better, Naruto was trying to "become one with the ramen counter". He looked in the direction that Naruto was staring.   
  
A large man stood at the window. His blue eyes – so similar to Naruto's – were narrowed and cold. His shaggy blonde hair stood out at weird angles off his face. He looked at Naruto with surprise, but Sasuke could tell that the surprise was turning quickly to anger.   
  
Kyuubi in the corner watched Naruto's reaction to Yon's presence. "Typical," he muttered to himself. "Just typical." He sighed, looking at Naruto. He rushed over and jumped on the boy's head, leaning forward. He stopped leaning when he was eye-to-eye with Naruto, his tails keeping him balanced.   
  
"Na- ru- to?" he said, pronouncing each syllable separately. Naruto ignored him.  
  
The blonde boy stood up, trying to think of a way to escape. He moved only a step when Sasuke grabbed his arm.   
  
"Naruto… what's wrong?" he asked softly. He didn't like the look of the blonde outside the ramen shop. How did this happen? One minute, he was laughing and the next he was afraid… but who was that dude?  
  
Sasuke didn't know.   
  
Yon walked inside the ramen shop. Sasuke could feel the rage eminating off the man. Ichiraku had fled to the back room, not wishing to get involved.   
  
"Naruto…" the man said in a quiet voice. Yet Sasuke had never heard anything dripping with more hate than that word from that man.   
  
**We are the people that you hate  
We are the bastards that you created   
A generation with no place  
A generation of all your sons and daughters**  
  
"Who's this, Naruto?" Yon asked, seeing Sasuke. Naruto didn't say anything.   
  
"I think the better question," Sasuke snarled, "is who are you?"  
  
"Uzomaki Yon," the man volunteered with no hesitation.   
  
"U..zo…ma…ki?" Sasuke asked softly.   
  
"I'm Naruto's father. Now who the fuck are you?"  
  
"Uchiha Sasuke."  
  
"You're an Uchiha, hmm." He turned to Naruto. Naruto seemed to shrink even more before his burning blue eyes. "So Naruto… you didn't tell me about your new friend here."  
  
Kyuubi began to hiss and spit at Naruto's father when Yon reached out a hand for the boy. He didn't get a chance to bite the man, as Sasuke started to pull Naruto towards the door. The boy didn't resist. He seemed to be scared out of himself.   
  
"Well," Sasuke said, "Naruto and I have to be getting back to school, so I'll see you later."  
  
He didn't know why Naruto's father inspired this in Naruto. And right now, he didn't care. He just knew that he had to get Naruto far, far away for the moment. He sighed.   
  
I guess I'll have to explain to Iruka-sensei later that we got caught up in traffic or something, Sasuke thought to himself. He knew that they couldn't go back to class at the moment, so instead, he went to the forest behind the school, still dragging Naruto.   
  
As soon as he found a suitable glade for the two to have some kind of privacy, with the exception of the invisible Kitsune that he didn't know about. He sat Naruto down. The boy immediately hugged himself, whimpering slightly.   
  
Sasuke sat down on a log that wasn't too far away and waited for Naruto to get himself under control again. He hoped it wouldn't be that long.   
  
**We are the people that you hate  
The fucking bastards that you created   
A generation with no place  
A generation of all your sons and daughters**  
  
Kyuubi looked at Naruto, worry in his eyes. Foxes usually stuck mostly to themselves, but Kyuubi had accepted Naruto as his kin. The boy was born with whiskers, just like foxes were, three scars on each side of his nose. Kyuubi couldn't remember when he had first met Naruto – but since then, he had never seen him this bad.   
  
Nuzzling up to the boy, he hoped that Naruto would get better soon.   
  
((Konnichiwa! Its Kyuubi-chan, here to explain something very important. The next few paragraphs are going to be in the first person. They are what Naruto is seeing in his head. I hope I'm in the right mood to do this))  
  
I looked around me. Everything was so different. A moment ago, I could've sworn I was laughing. Actually laughing. None of that shit that I normally have. It wasn't my mask trying to be accepted. I was teasing Sasuke and then I looked around to find a clock, because I didn't want to be late back to class. Kakashi-sensei would probably slaughter me. Then I saw Him.   
  
Standing outside the ramen shop.   
  
My father.   
  
No… he can't be my father. A father wouldn't do that to his son.   
  
A father would love his son… not make love TO his son… right? That's the way it always was in those books I've read. Why did I have to be stuck with parents like this.   
  
All I know is that the moment I saw him, I froze up. Waves of terror shot through me, and I couldn't move. I still can't. I don't know why I'm so afraid. I can't see anymore.   
  
I look around me again. All that's here is waves. Purple, green, blue, red, shiny, black and gold waves. They look like squigglies or something. I don't know. I curl up on the ground, gripping my knees to my chest. Then I could hear it… the faint murmur that haunted me every step of my life.   
  
It was the voices that tormented me every time I decided to think about my reason for existence. What they say… it hurts… it really hurts.   
  
_ "You demon brat."  
  
"Nobody loves you… you're just a fucking idiot."  
  
"Monster! Don't come near my child. Stay the fuck away or I'll kill you."  
  
"I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do, asshole."  
  
"Nobody wants to be your friend."  
  
"Naruto the Loser."  
  
"Don't do that, Naruto, or I'll send you to detention."  
  
"Get out of my classroom, you stupid demon!"  
  
"Devil spawn."  
  
"Monster."  
  
"Idiot."  
  
"Moron."  
  
"Dork."  
  
"Jerk."  
  
"Brat."  
  
"Demon."  
  
"Devil."  
  
"Fiend."  
  
"Stay away from my family, demon child!"  
  
"Nobody wants you."  
  
"Haha, look – its Naruto the Demon Child come to kill us all. Let's throw food at him."  
  
"No children, you mustn't throw food… he doesn't deserve that. Get a big stick and beat him up that way."  
  
"No matter what anyone says to you, they all hate you."  
  
"Naruto, you stupid little whore."  
  
"You prick."  
_  
It stings. I can feel myself trembling and whimpering. The names, the little needles. Why do I remember every last one of them? It would be better if I could forget.   
  
It would be even better if I didn't exist.  
  
Then Dad wouldn't rape me… and Mom wouldn't try to kill me with the broken glass from the window. Then… then everyone would be happy… if I could just disappear. Then… then… I wouldn't be hurt. I would be safe. I could be happy. I could be… well… I could be free.   
  
Like Kyuubi is.   
  
I look around for the mischievous Kitsune. I can't find him. Dammit. Why does everyone leave me?  
  
"Kyuubi!" I call. No answer. Tears spill down my cheeks. Why… why… why is it always my fault? What did I ever do to deserve this?  
  
Get a grip of yourself, Naruto. Get a grip…  
  
But why should I?  
  
They want me dead. I want me dead. So I should just end up dead. No one would care…   
  
A vision appears before me. A boy with raven-black hair and the palest skin I've even seen. Black eyes stare directly at me.   
  
"Fight it, Naruto!" the boy whispers. "Fight whatever fear you have, dobe."  
  
Wait…   
  
Fight it.  
  
Does this mean that someone actually cares?  
  
((Kyuubi-chan says… this is the end of Naruto's POV))  
  
**And what did you expect: a perfect child  
Raised by T.V. sets, abandoned every mile  
We never get respect, never a fair trial  
No one gives a shit as long as we smile**  
  
"NARUTO!" Sasuke yelled as the boy slumped forward, unconscious. Picking him up on his back, Sasuke walked swiftly towards the nurse's office in the school. He didn't think. He didn't have to. All he knew was that the only friend he ever had in his life was suffering… somehow…  
  
But why? Sasuke wondered. He's always so carefree, happy and obnoxious. Why would Naruto have to suffer? What happened between him and that dude at the ramen shop? I wonder if that really is Naruto's father.  
  
He went to the nurse's office, where the nurse, Tsunade-baba, was.   
  
"Tsunade," Sasuke yelled as he came into the room.  
  
Tsunade looked up and noticed the unconscious boy on the Uchiha's back. "What happened?" she asked, putting away her cards. She was just thinking whether or not she should go off and find Jiraiya-san and order him to play her in poker. However, these two came in right before she had a chance to.   
  
"I-I don't know," Sasuke said, not knowing how much Naruto would want him to say, so he kept it to a bare minimum. Besides, that was about as much as he understood.   
  
Tsunade nodded. She motioned Sasuke to follow her and led him to one of the beds. Pulling the covers back, Sasuke put Naruto down and Tsunade covered the boy with the blanket. She began to check his vitals, finding that nothing was physically wrong with him.   
  
"Has this happened before?" she asked.   
  
Sasuke shook his head.   
  
"Not once?"  
  
"Not that I know of."  
  
Tsunade sighed as she looked at the boy. "Then I'm afraid that all we can do is wait. Wait and hope for the best." She left them for a moment and then came back with a metal fold-out chair. "Here, watch him, I have to inform yours and his teachers that you're here."  
  
She left and a few moments came back in. "Um… who are your teachers?"  
  
"We're supposed to be with Kakashi-sensei right now," Sasuke answered.   
  
Tsunade nodded and walked out again.   
  
Sasuke stared at Naruto. "Please wake up," he said softly.   
  
**We are the people that you hate  
We are the bastards that you created   
A generation with no place  
A generation of all your sons and…  
**  
((Kyuubi-chan says that you will now be in Naruto's head again… fun fun, right?))  
  
I could faintly hear someone talking to me. I don't know who it is though. Its… male… I think. Its soft… or maybe my ears just don't work. I've never felt like this before. Its like I'm asleep, but I'm not asleep. I'm awake… but I'm not awake.   
  
Aargh, this is confusing me too fucking much. I have to do something besides think. I know what I can do… I can sing…  
  
Let's see… let's see… Zeromancer's Dr. Online of course!  
  
_ 1-800-Suicide, a lady doctor online can help you die  
You need wings to fly  
You need someone  
To take your place when you are done  
  
_ Okay, I'm bored of singing now. In fact, being in this mildly awake and yet not awake state is really boring. There's nothing to do. I can't move any of my limbs. I can't really do anything. This sucks. Big time. I mean BIG FUCKING TIME!   
  
"Please… please be okay," someone says.   
  
There's that fucking voice again. Who is it? Why can't I remember? Do I have amnesia?  
  
Let's see… my name is Uzumaki Naruto. I have a nine-tailed fox named Kyuubi… um… but that's not Kyuubi's voice.   
  
So who is that?   
  
Who's calling me?  
  
Why do I want to listen to them?  
  
No one cares, right? No one ever fucking cared.  
  
No… don't think like that. Think happy fucking thoughts. Be Peter Pan, fly away to Neverland.  
  
…  
  
I really want to go to Neverland. I probably couldn't get hurt there. And I could probably find my REAL family. One who doesn't fucking hate me more than the world already does.   
  
What did I do?   
  
I don't know  
  
No one's ever told me.  
  
They just tell me it was my fault.   
  
I don't understand it.  
  
I don't think I want to.   
  
Sigh. Why am I stuck like this.   
  
"Come on, dobe," the voice speaks again.   
  
Dobe… why you fucking TEME! I scream back.   
  
((End Naruto's POV))  
  
Sasuke stared at the boy. "Te…me…" Naruto mutters. His voice is hoarse, as though he has screamed for ages. Maybe he had. In his head, of course.   
  
"Dobe!" Sasuke yelled. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Not…do…be…fuck…ing…te…me…" Naruto growled before falling into a much easier sleep.   
  
Sasuke sighed with relief. He didn't know why this news made his heart flutter like this. He just passed it off as them being friends.   
  
**We are the people that you hate  
The fucking bastards that you created   
A generation with no place  
A generation of all your sons and daughters**  
  
_Hi everyone! Its Kyuubi-chan again! How'd ya like this chapter? I actually might be pretty proud of it. I'm too lazy to show everyone their personal answers to their reviews, so I'll just answer everything in a rant. _

_First off: do you know how bloody hard it was to come up with those insults? I had to use a thesauraus TWICE just to be able to create a steady flow of mean things. I'm usually pretty good at insults, but I didn't want to insult Naruto... and "demon" after a while gets old, so... what did I do? I went to my handy-dandy thesaurause and looked up "demon" and came up with "fiend". That's when I decided that the thesaurase was a piece of crap and waltzed off, pretending Naruto was Sasuke. See... I love Sasuke, I really do... but go to narutofan.com and read what's out of book 25... its horrible. Sasuke's such a bloody idiot ((sobs)) Poor poor Naruto... your love is become a dickhead... oh well... that's why this is FANDOM!!! MWA HAA HAA HAA... moving on..._  
  
_Okay, for the misspellings of the names. Well… what can you expect? I'm just a moronic fool and I've seen about five different spellings for Uchiha and about the same for Uzomaki. I just alternate between the Uzumaki ones just because that's how I type. Sorry if its confusing. I also completely forgot Ino's name in chapter one. I just remembered it was Yama-something. Therefore, I took poetic license and put down the first thing that came to my mind… wait… is that poetic license? Oh who cares! It is now!  
  
Well, hope to see you all in chapter four. I'm really proud of this fic. Normally, you can't get me to write three chapters in six months, let alone three days. I guess I've changed since my last fanfictions. Not the Naruto ones. They're all new. Well, Sayonara. I'm going off to get food and then write chapter four!_


	4. This is War

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all. ALSO, THERE WILL BE INCEST AND RAPE IN THIS CHAPTER. THIS IS AS BIG A WARNING AS I CAN GIVE YOU, SO LISTEN TO IT!!!  
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 04: This Is War**  
  
Sasuke watched Naruto for another hour before the boy finally awoke. He stared down at those baby blue eyes and smiled with relief. "Hey," he said softly.   
  
"Hi," Naruto replied in the same quiet voice.   
  
"Are you all right, you had me flipping out, man," Sasuke scolded. He playfully whacked the blonde's head.   
  
Naruto blushed and grinned. "Sorry, it won't happen again… I promise."  
  
"Pinky swear," Sasuke said with a half grin, offering his pinky. He hadn't done this since he was six, but something was making him do it now.   
  
"Pinky swear," Naruto whispered as he twisted his little finger with Sasuke's. They shook on it and didn't let go.   
  
"Promise me, Naruto…" Sasuke murmured to the boy.   
  
Naruto looked up, puzzled. "Nani?"  
  
"Promise me you'll tell me everything one day… when you're ready… please," Sasuke begged.   
  
Naruto nodded. "I promise," he said solemnly. If I live that long, he added in his thoughts.   
  
They finally let their hands drop after another minute. Both of them had faint blushes on their faces, and neither could figure out why. (Kyuubi-chan thinks they so kawaii!)  
  
"W-when's your birthday?" Sasuke stammered after a moment.   
  
"October 10th… why?" Naruto answered. He looked at Sasuke in surprise. Was this going to be the first time in eleven years that he got something for his birthday? The thought made him smile.   
  
"Mm-kay," was all Sasuke said. "Come on, I'm driving you home."  
  
Unlike last time, Naruto didn't protest.  
  
**I'm just a normal man  
I wouldn't hurt nothing at all  
But here we are  
Our leaders have a plan  
I'd only kill if it's for them**  
**Now here we are**  
  
"Is that your house?" Sasuke asked. He was sitting in the driver's seat of his Honda and Naruto still hadn't moved from the passenger seat. He seemed extra reluctant to go home.   
  
"Is something wrong?" Sasuke inquired.   
  
"Of course not!" Naruto said with his normal jovial smile, but something was missing from it. Maybe its because his eyes didn't twinkle like they normally did. ((twinkle, twinkle))  
  
He slowly opened the car door. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out. Leaning over, he grinned at his friend. "See ya tomorrow, Sasuke," he told his friend.   
  
"See ya, man," Sasuke replied. He watched as Naruto walked up to his house. Once the boy had disappeared inside the house was when Sasuke drove off.   
  
Sasuke went straight home to his large house. It was only him and his older brother, Itachi, living here. His parents were currently on a trip around the world. Sasuke didn't know why they bothered with such nonsense, but they were good parents when they were home. When Itachi and Sasuke were the only ones home, it could sometimes be an all-out string of mayhem. Itachi was a detective, and it was those skills that Sasuke needed to borrow for right now.   
  
"Oy! Itachi!" he yelled as soon as he entered his house.   
  
"What is it, little brother?" Itachi called. Sasuke followed his voice, knowing that his brother was in the study, probably working on a case for something.  
  
"I need you to check up on someone for me," Sasuke said without hesitation.   
  
"Nani…?" Itachi whined with a grin. He was just teasing his brother. Sasuke's face was dead serious. Dropping the charade, Itachi put his pen down and took off his glasses. He swiveled his chair around to see his brother. "Why?"  
  
Sasuke explained to him what had happened that day, with Naruto laughing one moment and frightened the next. Itachi stayed silent through the entire explanation.   
  
"Do you know who the guy is to… whatshisname – Naruto?" Itachi ventured.   
  
"He said he was his father. His name is Uzumaki Yon," Sasuke replied.   
  
Itachi nodded. "I'll see what I can do. I might be able to get you some information in a few hours, if you'll wait."  
  
Sasuke nodded. "Arigato, aniki."  
  
"Konbanwa, Sasuke-kun."  
  
"Konbanwa."  
  
Sasuke left, feeling much better about the entire situation. His brother was the best detective in town. If anyone could figure something out: it was Uchiha Itachi.   
  
**I drove in a car and flew in a plane  
To come to your house and kick your door in  
Now it's down to this, it's just you and me  
I'll blow your fucking head off for my country**  
  
Naruto opened the door to his house slowly. Behind him, he heard Sasuke drive off. He gulped as he entered the foyer of the depressing house. He hoped that he would be able to get to his room without running into his father. Knowing Yon, the man was probably still pissed off right now.   
  
He slowly took off his shoes and placed them down on the doorstep, tiptoeing into the house. He looked around. Nothing yet. He still doesn't drop his guard.   
  
"Hey, you little whore, get your ass back here!" a loud voice yelled behind him. Naruto froze, unable to do anything as he felt his heartbeat quicken in his chest. He could hear Yon's footsteps behind him, but his body wouldn't move.   
  
"Who else are you fucking, you fucking slut," Yon screamed, punching Naruto in the stomach. Naruto grabbed his stomach as he fell over, gasping for breath.   
  
"You stupid fucking son of a bitch," Yon yelled. He picked his son up by the collar of his shirt and then mashes their lips together.   
  
Naruto didn't do anything. He didn't kiss back, so he wasn't encouraging, but he didn't pull back, so he wasn't defying. He found that strategy to be the safest, especially when his father was drunk and trying to stick his tongue down Naruto's throat.   
  
I wish I were Kyuubi, he thought before his father pushed him up against the wall. Yon began to slowly strip his son of clothing, still kissing him. When he pulled back for breath, he dragged Naruto behind him to his bedroom. His wife was on the couch, drunk off her ass, downstairs, so he wasn't worried about being disturbed.  
  
Naruto was silent. And the blank look on his face seemed to only infuriate Yon. Yon pushed Naruto onto the bed and leaned next to the boy. "I'm going to fuck you so hard you won't be able to sit down for a month, you slut," he snarled to the boy, pulling him in for another kiss.   
  
_((Kyuubi-chan interruption! Because I'm lazy and I don't trust my writing skills enough yet… and the fact that I'm doing this on a non-NC-17 site, I am going to leave the rest up to your imagination. Lets just say… a half an hour later, Naruto was left alone, curled up, in pain and crying on hallway floor. His dad had kicked him out of the room after sex.))_  
  
**I go to church and tithe  
I go to work in a suit and tie  
But this is war  
I'm really not sure why  
But the T.V. says that you are wrong  
Now here we are**  
  
Sasuke looked up as his brother walked into the T.V. room. He was holding two folders in his hands and looking very disgruntled.   
  
"Little brother," Itachi said. Itachi rarely called Sasuke by his name. He preferred using 'little brother' instead. Sasuke didn't mind as much as he might of if his parents had been home all the time. "I want you to do me a favor."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I want to you to stay away from Uzumaki Naruto and his family," Itachi told him seriously. He sat down on the chair across the table from the couch that Sasuke was lounging on.   
  
Sasuke sat bolt-upright. "Doushite?" he asked.   
  
Itachi put the folders down on the wooden table as Sasuke turned off the T.V. "While researching his father, I found some interesting information on Naruto," Itachi said. "Now, you have to promise me you won't tell anyone. Its forbidden for me to tell you this, but I figured that you would need a reason or you wouldn't heed my word."  
  
Sasuke nodded. He didn't speak, just waited for his brother to talk.   
  
"Fifteen years ago, there was an attack on Konoha and the surrounding cities. It was made by a trio of Demons – monsters, all three of them," Itachi said slowly. "One was Shukaku, the Raccoon Demon of the Sand. The second was Zabuza, the Human Demon of the Mist. The third was Kyuubi, the Nine-tailed fox Demon.  
  
"Zabuza was killed off first, by the hero Haku. But Shukaku and Kyuubi could not be killed, so they were sealed instead. One was inside Gaara of the Hidden Sand, and the other was sealed in none other than Uzumaki Naruto."  
  
Sasuke gaped at him. "So are you telling me that Naruto is the Nine-tailed Fox Demon?" he asked incredulously, thinking back on his best friend.   
  
"Tell me Sasuke," Itachi said. "Is Naruto liked by a lot of people?"  
  
"No."  
  
"It's because of Kyuubi."  
  
Sasuke nodded. He understood the information. "What about Yon?" he asked softly.   
  
Itachi directed Sasuke's attention to the other folder on the table.   
  
"Yon is a normal human being, but a shitty one," the detective said. "He's been arrested three times in the past twenty years, mainly because of multiple accounts of assault on young boys. He especially liked blondes, apparently. Well, that's what I hypothesize. All of his victims were young blonde boys." Itachi sighed. "His activities stopped after he had a son."  
  
Sasuke looked up at Itachi, his eyes wide. "You don't… think that…"  
  
"Actually, I believe that there's a very good chance that that's what's happening," Itachi said. "But please, little brother, stay away from that family. You'll only get hurt."  
  
"Aniki…" Sasuke murmured softly. "I can't."  
  
With that, he stood up and left, heading towards his room.   
  
Itachi pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, staring after his brother. He lit one and took a long drag before answering. "I know," he said to the silence of the room. Enjoying the tobacco, Itachi finally stood and went back to his study to get some more work done.  
  
**I drove in a car and flew in a plane  
To come to your house and kick your door in  
Now it's down to this, it's just you and me  
I'll blow your fucking head off for my country**  
  
Sasuke stared up at the ceiling of his room. He was lying comfortably on his bed, his thoughts keeping him from falling asleep. Had Sasuke, when he said goodbye to him, have sent Naruto off to danger. He didn't want to think that he had, he hoped he hadn't.   
  
"I'll see him in school tomorrow. I'll be able to ask him…" Sasuke's voice trailed off. He turned onto his side, looking out the window despairingly. "What will I ask him?"  
  
No answer came to Sasuke.   
  
**My feet hurt from the sand  
But still I march on, gun in hand  
Cause this is war  
This isn't what I planned  
I wanted to be so much more  
But this is war**  
  
Naruto sat, curled up in the corner of his room. He was in pain. His entire lower body was on fire from the pain. His father hadn't been lying when he said that Naruto wouldn't be able to sit down for a month. Naruto felt tears flow down his cheeks but he didn't bother wiping them away. It was no use.   
  
Reaching under his cabinet, Naruto pulled out the pocketknife again. He felt so fucking dirty. As if there was nothing he could do to defend himself… well, there really wasn't, now that he thought about it. Slowly, he pulled the pocketknife out, studying the edge. Not caring if the coppery color was rust or blood, Naruto scraped it across his arm several times. Once… Twice… Thrice… he began to count the cuts that he was making. Fourteen… fifteen… sixteen… Again and again, he cut, not able to think about anything else besides the warm liquid running down his arm. Twenty-six… twenty-seven… twenty-eight…   
  
At thirty-three, Naruto finally put the knife away. The blood spilled, mixing with his tears as he stared at it. Kyuubi came over to him, eyes full of concern.   
  
"Naruto…" the fox said.   
  
"He raped me, Kyuubi," Naruto sobbed. He buried his face in his hands. "It hurts… it hurts a lot!"  
  
Kyuubi put a paw gently on Naruto's knee. "It'll be okay one day, kit… I hope it will all get better one day…" the Kitsune said.  
  
"Do you really believe that it will?" Naruto asked.   
  
"I have to… for both our sakes…" Kyuubi replied steadily.   
  
**I drove in a car and flew in a plane  
To come to your house and kick your door in  
Now it's down to this, it's just you and me  
I'll blow your fucking head off for my country**  
  
_Aargh, I don't even know why I wrote this chapter. ((sobs)) POOR NARUTO!!!! I LOVE YOU NARUTO… DON'T WORRY… I THINK IT WILL GET BETTER IN THE END!!!  
  
Jeez, I sound like a reviewer. But I'm not, I'm the Autheress. Okay, now that I'm done FOUR BLOODY CHAPTERS IN TWO FRIKING DAYS you can all be happy. I'll update as soon as possible. Maybe even another chapter tonight. It depends on how much caffeine I get into my body.   
  
Well, that's all I've got to say. DON'T forget to review!! _

_Oh yeah... one more thing. That rape scene was not random... neither of them were. ANd hopefully, there are no more. but both were for plot purposes_


	5. Therapy

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 05: Therapy**  
  
Naruto woke up, still feeling sore. He looked down at his arm, cursing colorfully. This really fucking sucks, he thought to himself as – for the second morning in a row – he went to clean off his arm. He got ready as fast as he could and, hungrier than normal, he left his house and made his way to school. He was glad that today he was wearing black pants. He could swear that he still had blood coming from his butt.   
  
"Damn him!" Naruto screamed, slamming his fist into a fence. The wooden fence just splintered and broke before his onslaught. Not caring in the least, Naruto went to school with Kyuubi at his heels.   
  
"Seven-fifteen," Naruto said to himself, looking at the clock. He turned and stared at Kyuubi. "Well, it looks like we got here earlier than usual, eh?"  
  
"Yeap," the fox yipped, clawing his way up Naruto's pants leg and onto his shoulder. He nuzzled the boy's cheek as they walked into the classroom. They were the only ones there.   
  
"I'm so glad you're invisible, Kyuubi," Naruto told the fox as he sat down, hissing and whimpering in pain. He stared at the chair, wondering how he was going to manage this. He turned to the fox. "You have any ideas?"  
  
The fox shook its head.   
  
**Too many weeds in the flowers  
Too many pills in the pharmacies now  
Too many bugs in the shower  
There's too much shit in the air we breathe now**  
  
Ten minutes later, Sasuke and Haruno Sakura entered the classroom, talking animatedly. Or, rather, Sakura was talking. Sasuke was just staring off into space. His far-off glare turned to an expression of surprise when he saw Naruto there.   
  
"Thank Kami-sama!" he said as he jumped on Naruto in a very un-Sasuke-like matter. ((I've always wanted Sasuke to glomp someone… Don't mind me… that's just my weird fantasy))  
  
"Nani?" Naruto yelped, startled. He was off-balance as it was and Sasuke glomping him only made him fall to the floor, dragging the raven-haired boy down with him.   
  
"Oof," Naruto exhaled as Sasuke landed on his chest. He felt his body freeze up from the memories of the night before, but he told himself it was just Sasuke. Nothing more than Sasuke.   
  
Sasuke looked down at him, sitting on his stomach. "Daijoubou ka?" Sasuke asked. He legs straddled the boy and he was looking at Naruto with a concerned look in his eye.   
  
"Aa," came the blonde's reply. He sounded a bit out of breath or in pain… something of that nature, Sasuke thought.   
  
"Did I hurt you?" the boy asked softly.   
  
"Iie," Naruto mumbled.   
  
Sakura was just sitting on the desk, watching this happen. Unlike like a week ago, Sakura had no more of a physical attraction to Sasuke, as she had finally accepted Rock Lee's invitation to be his girlfriend.   
  
"Sasuke-kun, you shouldn't do that to Naruto so early in the morning," Sakura said wearily.   
  
Sasuke only grinned up at her. Sakura wasn't as bad as he thought she was. Naruto had already been friends when Sakura for ages. She was the only one that he had told of his parents. She had helped him find ways to escape when they were younger.   
  
"So, Naruto-kun," Sakura asked. "How's life been lately?"  
  
"I've been better," Naruto said without thinking.   
  
Sakura left a flash of worry pass her eyes, but she hid it – thinking that Sasuke wouldn't know of Yon and Jenny. "Ne, why's that, Naruto?" Sasuke asked.   
  
"Because you're fucking suffocating me!" Naruto told him mischievously, and then began to TICKLE HIM IMMENSELY AND WITHOUT ANY SHRED OF MERCY!  
  
**There's too much anger inside me  
There's too much scarring when I bleed  
There's too much therapy I need  
There is no god that I have seen**  
  
Later that day, Sakura joined Sasuke and Naruto for lunch. It didn't miss her eye that they were sharing a lunch. She even saw the seeds to some things that they didn't.   
  
A lot of girls… and guys… are going to be disappointed to know that Naruto has stolen Konoha's most eligible, she thought to herself as she began to eat her own lunch. She didn't care that Naruto would sometimes steal something from her.   
  
"So, Sakura… what happened to being President of the Official Uchiha Sasuke Fangirl/Fanboy Club?" Naruto asked, not asking himself how he was able to remember a ridiculous name like that.   
  
"Oh, I passed it off to… you wouldn't believe who it was."  
  
"Who?" both boys asked at the same time.  
  
"It was ((wait for it)) Kiba."  
  
"KIBA?!" Naruto and Sasuke yelled.   
  
Sakura nodded. "It seemed that he really wanted to be the president of the Uchiha Sasuke club. Who knew?"  
  
"Not me," Naruto said.   
  
Sasuke just shrugged. Due to Sasuke's strong dislike of dogs and the fact that Kiba always had Akamaru with him, Sasuke avoided him.   
  
The three spent a pleasant lunch before the bell rang, signaling for them to go to gym.   
  
**There's too much doubt in my mom's words  
There's too much fear in the way she sees life  
I wonder if I'm just like here  
I wonder if I can make myself right**  
  
Naruto was getting changed after gym when Sasuke's arm grabbed his. Naruto glared at the boy, not really happy right now. He had had three basketballs hit him hard in the back of his head. He was now suffering from not only a painful buttox, but splitting headache.   
  
"Nani?" he asked in an annoyed tone.   
  
"What is this?" Sasuke wanted to know. His hand gripped the bloody bandage on Naruto's left arm. Naruto flushed.   
  
"Its… its… nothing," Naruto lied, not being able to think up a suitable excuse in time.   
  
"Stop lying to me, Naruto!" Sasuke growled under his breath. Only Naruto heard him.   
  
Naruto tried to get free but Sasuke pinned him against the locker. Naruto's eyes widened and his struggles increased. He bit his tongue to keep from screaming, but it was a close call. Coppery blood spilled in his mouth, giving him an unpleasant feeling in his stomach.   
  
"Come here," Sasuke demanded, pulling Naruto towards the showers – which by now had been abandoned. "Let me see what happened."  
  
Naruto only hung his head. He was tired of fighting off everything. Sasuke carefully unwrapped the useless ace bandage from the multiple wounds on Naruto's forearm.   
  
"What happened?" Sasuke asked, his eyes wide as he looked at the cuts.   
  
Naruto looked away, refusing to look at Sasuke. "I was bored, so I wanted to see what 'cutting' felt like," he said nonchalantly.   
  
Sasuke turned Naruto so that he was facing him. "Don't ever do this again – promise me… please… just promise me you won't hurt yourself anymore."  
  
"Why should I?" Naruto spat. "No one cares if I live or die. You've seen it for your own eyes."  
  
Sasuke could feel his anger grow. "Stop being such a selfish ass for a moment and look around you, Naruto!" he yelled. The locker rooms were empty by now, which was a relief to both boys. "I care! Sakura cares! There are people who fucking care… why won't you see that?"  
  
Naruto bit his lip. He looked up into Sasuke's pleading yet angry eyes with his own emotionless blue ones. "Because you'll end up betraying me in the end – just like everyone else did," he said clearly, but in a monotone.   
  
Sasuke's arms fell to his side limply as he realized what Naruto had just said. As soon as Sasuke let him go, Naruto fled. He even forgot his bookbag in his rush to get out of the locker room and out of the school. He didn't care if he missed algebra. He just needed to find a place to think.   
  
**There's too much anger inside me  
There's too much scarring when I bleed  
There's too much therapy I need  
There is no god that I have seen**  
  
Sasuke couldn't concentrate. He had, unlike Naruto, returned to class. He was sure that the dobe would be here, but there was no sign of the blonde-haired fox-boy.   
  
"Where is he?" a voice next to him said. He turned to find a very worried looking Sakura staring at the seat that Naruto usually occupied.   
  
"I don't know," Sasuke replied.   
  
Sakura looked at Sasuke, her green eyes deadly serious. "You're the only one that bring him back here, Sasuke," she murmured. "Please… go find him and make sure he's okay. He's… its not good for him to be alone. He's had to spend his entire life alone… so please… please… find him and bring him back." Tears welled into the emerald orbs as Sasuke nodded.   
  
He raised his hand. "Yes?" Jiraiya-sensei asked.   
  
"May I go to the bathroom?" Sasuke lied.   
  
Jiraiya nodded.   
  
Sasuke jetted out of the classroom as fast as he could.   
  
**You try to help  
You listen well  
You cannot change the way I see**   
  
Kyuubi finally found Naruto. He had been searching for him for a half an hour before he finally spotted the poor kid. "Naruto?" he asked.   
  
"Go away, Kyuubi, I'm not in the mood right now," the boy grunted angrily.   
  
"I'm not going away."  
  
"Yes you fucking are!"  
  
Naruto glared at the fox. His whiskers were more defined and his eyes were no longer blue – but red, like the fox's. Kyuubi cursed to himself as he realized what was happening. Naruto's nails grew out and became claws. His teeth grew to become fangs. With a roar of fury, the boy bounded into the woods. Kyuubi just stood where he was, frozen to the spot.   
  
When had the Beast awakened?  
  
**There's too much anger inside me  
There's too much scarring when I bleed  
There's too much therapy I need  
There is no god that I have seen**  
  
_Okay, I know this is a really short chapter, but I wanted to get it over with soon, because I have big big plans for the next few chapters. I just have to figure out how to execute them. So… please, stay tuned to Smile, Empty Soul and Kyuubi-chan will deliver more chapters soon. I'm so proud of myself. Four chapters in one day. Maybe five, because I still have an hour and thirty three minutes before WHABAM! Its tomorrow! Don't mind me… I wished for a muse and I got one. Using her, however, takes a lot of energy. Which is why coffee exists. ((snuggles her coffee))_


	6. For You

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 06: For You**  
  
Sasuke ran through the forest that surrounded the school. Brambles caught in his clothing and he could sense… something. He could also feel a weird tingling sensation on his eyes that he tried to ignore. But sometimes it was hard to. Bursting out into a clearing, he saw a small fox. The only thing that was strange about this particular fox was the nine tails that it had.   
  
"What the fuck?" Sasuke asked, his eyes wide as he stared at the dog-like creature. "Who… how?"  
  
The fox looked just as surprised as Sasuke felt. "You… can see me…?" it asked softly.   
  
"Foxes can talk?" Sasuke yelped.   
  
The fox shook its head. It stared closer at the boy. Suddenly it nodded, as though it understood something. "Aah," it murmured. "I see now."  
  
"What?" Sasuke asked.   
  
"Sharingan."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You have the Sharingan – they're special eyes that can see chakra. Please tell me you've been listening in your classes rather than doodle all the time."  
  
Sasuke blushed, the stared at the fox. "How did you…?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry about it Sasuke," the Kitsune purred. "I've been sitting on Naruto's shoulder for years, watching him live every day."  
  
"Naruto…" Sasuke repeated, remembering his original mission. He turned back to the fox. "Kyuubi… where the fuck is Naruto?"  
  
"I can't answer that," Kyuubi murmured. "The Beast has him."  
  
"And what is this 'Beast'?" Sasuke wanted to know.   
  
"The Beast is my old self – the murderous rage that I felt towards humans. That part of me was sealed inside Naruto, so that it could be restrained. The seal broke just a little bit ago. And Naruto's not the Naruto you know any more. He's… changed, to say the least."  
  
"What?"  
  
"My other half – the yang of the Nine-tails, you could say," Kyuubi explained, "has taken complete control of his body. Naruto was in so much pain that he let the monster in him win and now he sleeps."  
  
Kyuubi sighed, looking truly sad. "Naruto's gone… the Naruto we knew anyhow. All that's left is his body and his thirst for vengeance against those who wronged him."  
  
Sasuke glared, the wheels in his eyes spinning at full speed. "Come on, you stupid fox," Sasuke growled, yanking it by extra fur around its color. It was easy to follow Naruto's trail. Sasuke could see the lingering chakra in the air that the Beast had let off in its flight.  
  
**I waited for you: I died inside my own head  
And I'd die again for you  
I'm faded and tired: completely uninspired  
And I'd die again for you**  
  
_((Kyuubi-chan says that we get to go into Naruto's head again. Happy happy joy joy!!))_  
  
I let him win. I don't care anymore. It needed to be let out. And I needed to rest. I've always been the boy who was hated – the boy that held the Nine-tails inside of him. I've always been despised for something someone else did. Now its time to get my revenge.   
  
I realized when Sasuke tried to get me not to hurt myself, that I really didn't give a flying fuck for this town or the people in it. I really didn't care. They deserved it. For what they did to me. They couldn't stick the Beast inside a fucking plant, now could they? No… it had to be in me. Now they'll see what they should fear.   
  
I could feel the chakra through the body I once called my own. No more – I willingly gave that body to the Beast. It's a bruised and broken body anyway. Its seen too many harsh days.   
  
Ha.  
  
I'm talking about my body as though it were a car. But I suppose it is. After all – it's a mode of transportation and that's all. I'm perfectly myself even without control of my body.   
  
But those assholes. They will now know what true fear is. They pushes me around, they tried to kill me several times. But now its all over. They get to die, just as they killed me every day. Killed me inside. I had to wear a mask, just so that I could win.  
  
I lost anyway, but I'll win in the end.   
  
A vision of Sakura and Sasuke enters my head. I'm truly sorry to those two, but it will be their own fault if they get in the way. Their own funerals. There's nothing I can do to stop it.   
  
And I don't mean to.   
  
_((end Naruto POV))  
_  
**So kill me with the love  
That you won't give to me  
And pack the wound with salt  
I want to feel it bleed  
**  
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Kyuubi complained, much in the same way that Naruto does. He was sitting on a rock whilst Sasuke was trying to get the hang of his Sharingan.   
  
"Of course," Sasuke smirked. "Now come on."  
  
Kyuubi leaped off the rock and gripped Sasuke's shirt, curling around the boy's neck. It was more comfortable to be on someone's shoulders than to be dragged by the neck.   
  
Sasuke and Kyuubi traveled for about another fifteen minutes before they heard strange growling close by.   
  
"That's the Beast," Kyuubi whispered, knowing his other half very well.   
  
Sasuke only nodded in response. He sank to the ground in a crouch, looking at Naruto – errr… I mean, the Beast – through the foliage that surrounded the clearing the Beast was sitting in.   
  
The Beast was looking around and occasionally scratching behind his ear. He looked around, sniffing.   
  
"Shit," Kyuubi said softly.   
  
Sasuke looked at the fox.   
  
"He's smelled us," was all the nine-tails fox could say before Naruto came flying at Sasuke through the trees.   
  
Sasuke looked at Naruto, eyes widening. This wasn't Naruto. The blue eyes that Sasuke had come to rely on were a bright blood red whilst the cute whisker scars were real. His friend's calloused hands had become claws.   
  
Sasuke felt the boy's claws scratch him from shoulder to stomach, though the gashes weren't that deep. He jumped up and into the clearing. His mind worked furiously as he watched the Beast follow him back to the clearing.   
  
He needed to concentrate. He needed to think.   
  
He definitely needed to survive.  
  
**I'm searching for reasons to keep away from the dreams  
And I'd die again for you  
I wish you were near me, could feel it when you hear me say  
I'd die again for you**  
  
Back at the Uchiha house, Itachi was looking out his study window, his gaze fixed on the spot where Sasuke and the Beast were fighting – even though he couldn't see them.   
  
"The Sharingan have been awoken," he murmured to himself. He, himself, could use the Sharingan as well, but he didn't like to. It wasted too much chakra for his liking, especially since he could catch almost anyone with his normal abilities.   
  
"Little brother, I did warn you," was all he murmured as his attention continued to be transfixed on the clearing that he could not see.   
  
He hoped that his little brother would be the victor in this battle.   
  
**So kill me with the love  
That you won't give to me  
And pack the wound with salt  
I want to feel it bleed  
You wanted me to crawl  
So now I'm on my knees**  
  
Sakura looked around the yard. Class had been dismissed nearly ten minutes beforehand and she was trying to find any sign of Sasuke or Naruto. She waved to Rock Lee. Her boyfriend made his way quickly over to her.   
  
"Have you seen either Sasuke or Naruto?" she asked desperately.   
  
Lee shook his head. Before he could open his mouth, a loud scream shattered the soft hustle-bustle of the school. Sakura and Lee immediately made their way as quickly as they could to the clearing where the scream had emanated from.   
  
**Why's it always have to be me?  
That's always left out to burn and  
I'll never learn  
Why's it always have to be me?  
That's always left out to burn and  
I'll never learn  
**  
Sasuke felt himself thrown backwards into a tree. He spat blood, falling to the ground. Slowly, he regained his balance. The Beast was just too strong. And Sasuke wasn't really that well-trained in any art of fighting – unless you counted Soul Caliber 2 for the Playstation 2.   
  
He saw the Beast spin, its foot smacking into Sasuke's jaw. More blood spat out from the boy's mouth as he fell to the ground in pain. Sasuke was about to just give up and let everything go when he remembered a story he had once read.   
  
The Human Demon Zabuza had one weakness: the boy named Haku. Haku had said before going to battle, "When people are protecting something truly precious to them, they truly can become as strong as they must be."   
  
"When people are protecting…" Sasuke began, struggling to get to his knees. He spit out a mouth full of blood, "…something truly precious… to them… they truly can become… as strong as they must be." He smirked, his hair covering his eyes.   
  
He threw himself to his feet, glaring at the Beast. "All right, asshole," he yelled, "Playtime's over – I'm getting Naruto back and nothing's gonna stop me."  
  
((Lalala, inside Naruto's head again))  
  
"All right asshole," someone said. It sounded like Sasuke. But what would Sasuke be doing here. "Playtime's over – I'm getting Naruto back and nothing's gonna stop me."  
  
He… cares?  
  
No, that can't be it. No one cares for me. That's why I let the Beast out. That's why I gave up my body for revenge.   
  
-Come on, boy, do not listen to him. He is full of deceptions and lies- a voice growled in my ear. I knew it was the Beast.   
  
"No he isn't," I replied slowly… "I want my body back… now!"  
  
-Try and take it from me- the Beast snarled, laughing softly.   
  
((end Naruto POV))  
  
Naruto and the Beast fought within the body, each one was battling for control of the limbs that were now just flailing uselessly, dealing damage to its own body. Inside, the manifestation of the Beast – which was basically what Naruto's body looked like right now, with the blood red eyes and claws – had engaged in a brawl with its host.   
  
Naruto felt a nail catch him above his eye, slicing through the skin. He managed to close his eye just in time to prevent permanent blindness, though he still felt the pain slicing through him. He screamed in both pain and surprise, and somehow that worked because he noticed that he could move his fingers again.   
  
Sasuke looked at Naruto… somehow he knew it was Naruto.   
  
"Thank you… Sasuke," the blonde said before falling forward. Sasuke managed to get under him before he hit the ground, but didn't have the strength to balance and catch both of them, like he had intended to.   
  
Sasuke sat there for a moment, playing with Naruto's shiny blonde hair before closing his eyes. Too much chakra had been used, he realized. His last thought was that he had been able to save Naruto.   
  
And then there was just blackness around both of them.   
  
**So kill me with the love  
That you won't give to me  
And pack the wound with salt  
I want to feel it bleed  
You wanted me to crawl  
So now I'm on my knees**  
  
_Chapter 6 completed! YOSH! ZETTAI! YATTE! I don't know what else to scream and yell out. Because I still have 31 minutes until midnight. that'll make five chapters today. And one chapter last night. I love my muse. I think I'll marry her. Wait… can you marry a muse… fuck, I don't think you can… okay… next arc of the storyline is what I've been waiting to write since chapter three, but I had to wait so that I could get the other storyline's out of my head first. So, don't forget to review. I love my reviews.   
  
Oh, and too ALL OF MY LOVELY REVIEWERS…..COOKIES!!!! ((passes out thousands of cookies to everyone))_


	7. Your Way

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 07: Your Way**  
  
Sakura and Lee rushed towards the clearing where they heard the scream. Sakura knew it was Naruto and she tried not to think about what had happened to the boy. She hoped that he wasn't hurt. She hoped to any god out there that her friend was okay.   
  
Lee ran beside her. He wasn't one of the people who hated Naruto, but he didn't really know him either. However, he didn't really go out of his way to get to know the boy either.   
  
Sakura entered the clearing where Sasuke and Naruto were a moment before Lee. She gasped at what she saw. Lee, fearing the worst, ran up beside her, not able to keep the gasp back from his lips either.  
  
Both boys were unconscious and Naruto was lying on top of Sasuke. Both were covered in blood. Sakura ran closer to them, putting a hand on Naruto's back. The boy didn't stir. She narrowed her eyes, biting her bottom lip furiously. Who did this? She wondered.   
  
"Lee!" she called.   
  
Lee was immediately at her side. "Yes?"  
  
"I want you to run… and go get Tsunade, Jiraiya, Iruka and Kakashi," she said, thinking. What should they tell them? "Tell them that Naruto and Sasuke are covered in blood and bring them here. Hurry."  
  
Lee nodded and ran off as fast as he could. He didn't like to leave Sakura by herself, but he knew that the boys needed medical attention.  
  
**Stand there with your ball and chain  
Bitch about what you've created  
All caught up in the masquerade  
You've already been paid and made it  
So don't pretend to know what its like  
To feel the things that we must live though  
You only see with your dying eyes  
There's only one thing I will ask of you**  
  
Lee managed to find Kakashi-sensei… surprised that Iruka-sensei was with him. The boy's eyes opened wide as he saw the two making out in Iruka's office. HE just sat there, staring at them for a few minutes before the two broke for air and Iruka noticed him.   
  
"Lee!" he yelped, his face going a furious red. Kakashi just chuckled.   
  
"What are you doing here?" Kakashi asked, though it wasn't with surprise. He pulled out Icha Icha Paradise as Lee spoke quickly, telling them about Sasuke and Naruto in the woods.  
  
For the first time, Kakashi dropped his book in surprise. Iruka would've laughed at this if the situation wasn't so serious. Unlike the students, the teachers knew of the Beast that resided in Naruto.  
  
Iruka and Kakashi accompanied Lee to find Tsunade and Jiraiya. It wasn't much of a surprise to them to find the two in a minor scuffle… Tsunade had taken one of her doctor's mallets and bashed Jiraiya on the head, yelling out, "Ero-sennin!" ((Pervert Hermit))  
  
Jiraiya looked to be in immense pain when Kakashi cleared his throat. Both Jiraiya and Tsunade jumped and turned towards the three.   
  
"Yes?" Tsunade asked, regaining herself first. Jiraiya was still rubbing the sore spot on his head.  
  
"We need you two to accompany us to the forest."  
  
"Nani?" both asked in unison.   
  
"There seems to be a slight problem with two of our students," Kakashi said casually. "Perhaps they were attacked by a Beast."  
  
Tsunade and Jiraiya's eyes widened in surprise whilst Lee looked confused.   
  
"All right, let's go!" Jiraiya yelled, rushing at the door. The others followed in close pursuit.  
  
**Can you take this life?  
Can you make it right?  
Do you have the words to say to make it  
All go away  
You act so wise and so refined  
Keep your bullshit lies 'cause I'm  
Never gonna go your way**

Sakura looked at her two friends. Neither of them had moved. She didn't even know what had happened to them. "I hope you guys are okay," she murmured to herself. She wasn't entirely sure if they could hear her.   
  
Noticing that the position of Naruto on top of him wasn't healthy for Sasuke, Sakura (as carefully as she could) moved the blonde off the boy, lying him on his back next to Sasuke. She had to stifle a cry when she saw Naruto's left eye. It was slashed through, by a knife or claw.   
  
I wonder if it was Yon that got to them, she thought, then shook her head. If it was Yon, Naruto wouldn't have been here.   
  
She heard a rustling in the bushes and looked towards it. She sighed with relief when she saw that Lee had returned with the four teachers she had requested.   
  
Tsunade immediately went over to the two, examining them for wounds. The ones that she saw needed to be treated immediately. Something told her that they had others, but she would have to wait for those to come. She pulled off her book bag, taking out two large blankets. These would have to make due as stretchers for now. She lay down the forementioned blankets. Signaling to her colleagues, she called them over.   
  
"Be very careful with them," she murmured. Jiraiya, Iruka and Kakashi nodded as they moved the boys slowly onto the blankets.   
  
"All right, its going to be two people to each blanket," Tsunade said. "Jiraiya and I will take Naruto. Kakashi and Iruka – you take Sasuke. We're taking them to my office." She turned to Sakura and Lee. "You two can come with us if you like. Its after school and I want both of you to call your parents to tell them where you are."  
  
The two teenagers nodded and the group made their way slowly back to the nurse's office.   
  
**Promises of a better life  
But what's wrong with the one I'm leading  
Everyone has a different fight  
Different wound that keeps them bleeding  
So what's wrong with a little fun?  
Everybody needs to find their something  
Is this how you're gonna treat your son?  
Fuck 'em up and give them nothing**  
  
As soon as they got back to the nurse's wing, Tsunade pointed to the telephone. She put the two boys on the examining bed-thingies. Pulling the curtains closed, she first worked on Sasuke. Stripping him down to his boxers using a pair of scissors, she examined his cuts. Putting balm on all of them, she gently wrapped the worse of them in bandages and then pulled the blankets up to his neck.   
  
Moving on to Naruto, she stripped him in much the same way she had Sasuke. She couldn't hold back the gasp when she saw his beaten body. Covering in bruises, scars, and fresh cuts, she was most worried about what she found on his left arm. Having been a nurse for over twenty years, she knew what self-made injuries looked like.  
  
She was just finishing wrapping up his arm properly when the boy hissed in pain and rolled onto his stomach. Tsunade chewed her lip, wondering what this was all about. His back only had a few bruises. Nothing more. In fact, his back wasn't even that scarred. The back of his legs weren't either. She stared at the boxers he still had on.   
  
"Could it be…?" she wondered. She sighed. It wasn't as though she took some sadistic pleasure out of stripping sixteen year old boys naked, but she needed to see what was wrong. So, carefully making sure that the curtains were shut and picking up her scissors, she cut the boxers in order to examine the boy's bum.  
  
She had to bite her tongue to hide the gasp as she saw what was left over on his butt. Slowly, she pulled the blankets up. There wasn't anything she could for injuries like that.   
  
**Can you take this life?  
Can you make it right?  
Do you have the words to say to make it  
All go away  
Can you take this life?  
Can you make it right?  
Do you have the words to say to make it  
All go away  
You act so wise and so refined  
Keep your bullshit lies 'cause I'm  
Never gonna go your way  
**

It wasn't for another few hours that the two boys woke up. Sasuke woke up first. He looked over and saw Kakashi-sensei staring at him. "Wha-?" he asked.   
  
"Ah, you're awake," Kakashi murmured. "Tsunade will want to know that.  
  
He disappeared before Sasuke could ask him any questions. Sasuke swore, feeling his chest on fire where the Beast had scratched him.   
  
Tsunade came into his little curtained-off area, sitting in the chair that Kakashi had previously occupied.   
  
"Good, you're okay," she sighed with relief.   
  
"Where's Naruto?" Sasuke growled. He tried to sit up, but Tsunade pushed him back down.   
  
"Naruto hasn't woken up yet," Tsunade said. "I've done all that I can with the boy. The rest is up to him." She sighed. "What attacked you?"  
  
Kyuubi walked in the curtain off area and sat on Sasuke's stomach. Sasuke could still see him, now, even without the Sharingan active. "You can tell her," the Kitsune murmured. "All the adults know about the Beast."  
  
Sasuke nodded. "It was the Beast," he replied, looking at Tsunade to gauge her reaction.   
  
Tsunade nodded, as though it were expected. Suddenly, Iruka stuck his head through the curtains.   
  
"Naruto woke up," he muttered.   
  
**Everybody needs to find  
Their own way through life  
Everybody needs to find  
Their own way  
Everybody needs to find  
Their own way through life  
Everybody needs to find  
Their own way  
  
** Naruto looked around him. He couldn't look out of his left eye, due to a large bandage there. He stared around with his right. Where was he? The last this he remembered was falling.   
  
Sasuke!  
  
Where was Sasuke!  
  
Tsunade came into his cordoned off area and sat down. "Naruto…?" she whispered.   
  
Naruto looked at her.   
  
"Where's Sasuke? Is he okay?" he asked immediately.   
  
"Sasuke's fine. But I have a few questions for you."  
  
"Ask away… I've got nothing to hide," Naruto answered with a smile.   
  
"Who raped you?" Tsunade whispered in his ear.   
  
Naruto froze up. How did she know? He could feel the sweat pouring down his forehead. "No one did, I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto growled, or tried to growl. His voice came out shaky and not in the least terrifying.  
  
"I've been a doctor for twenty seven years, Naruto," Tsunade replied. She kept her voice low, so that no one would hear them. "It's not hard for me to know what rape looks like. Especially when you flip onto your stomach to avoid the pain while unconscious."  
  
Naruto winced. "No one raped me, Tsunade-san," he mumbled, though he knew that he wasn't very convincing.  
  
"All right, then, but I think your parents should know," Tsunade said, standing up.   
  
Naruto felt himself grow cold. He stared up at Tsunade and grabbed her wrist as she tried to walk away.   
  
"Iie…" he muttered.   
  
**Can you take this life?  
Can you make it right?  
Do you have the words to say to make it  
All go away  
You act so wise and so refined  
Keep your bullshit lies 'cause I'm  
Never gonna go your way  
Never gonna go your way  
Never gonna go your way  
Never gonna go your way  
**  
_BWA HAA HAA! I think I'll leave it there. Just to torture you all. Don't mind me, I'm weird and all. After all, I'm writing this fic to begin with. I'll have the next chapter out in a little while, because I have the perfect idea for it. But, oh no, someone knows Naruto's secret? What's going to happen? Don't worry… I think this fic has a happy ending, but I'm not too sure. _


	8. The Other Side

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 08: The Other Side  
**  
Tsunade looked at Naruto. She took her seat again. Naruto struggled for a moment and then sat up, his butt on his pillow. Curling his knees up to his chest, he gazed straight ahead. "I'll tell you who did it," he murmured. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Jiraiya-sensei or Kakashi-sensei or Iruka-sensei."  
  
"I won't," Tsunade promised. She spit in her hand and offered it. Naruto smiled, a little bit and spit in his hand. He clapped it onto Tsunade's and they shook. Nothing could break a spit-shake. As soon as he took his hand back, his smile disappeared, replaced by a blank, emotionless look.   
  
"My father raped me," Naruto whispered. He felt his blood run cold. This wasn't like telling Kyuubi. This was telling the nurse at his school. "He was drunk… and I was there… and he…" His voice stopped abruptly. He buried his hands in his hair, hiding his face with his knees. He wanted to stop the flow of memories… he wanted them to just go away. But that never seemed to happen.  
  
Tsunade put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she murmured. To her surprise, Naruto turned to face her, burying his face in her shoulder. She looked down at him, her eyes filled with sympathy. Slowly, she placed her arms around him, stroking his hair.   
  
"Shh," she said as she heard him begin to sob. "Shh…"  
  
She placed her chin on his head and began to rock back and forth, hoping to calm the boy.  
  
**I walk into the room  
You don't have to scream, I can hear you  
Bad trip, the needle sticks, you get your fix  
From confrontation  
I try to make it past  
I don't want to get into it right now  
Can't this family have one day to get away  
From all the pain**  
  
Sasuke heard Naruto crying, but he didn't know why. He wanted to get up but every time he tried to move his shoulder, pain spread through him like wildfire and he couldn't move.   
  
"Naruto…" he murmured.   
  
"He'll be fine," Iruka said, watching Sasuke from his perch on the chair that Tsunade had abandoned in order to see Naruto.   
  
"Are you sure?" Sasuke asked, his eyes lost in thought. He could remember the markings that he had found on the boy's arm. It was obvious that Naruto had cut himself – and not for fun. He didn't need more attention. In fact, Naruto already had ways of drawing attention to himself.  
  
"Hai," Iruka replied. "Naruto's strong like that."  
  
That's right, Sasuke told himself before sleep claimed him once more. Naruto's strong.  
  
**And through the night I see the light  
Shining from the neighbor's window  
I dream of life where I'm safe  
In a home where I am not alone  
Someday I will lay me down on the grass  
Where everything is greener  
It always seems so good on the other side**  
  
Tsunade looked down at Naruto. She had put some pants on the boy while he was asleep the first time so that he wouldn't catch a cold, but he was still shivering. She knew he was asleep again, as she cradled him in her arms. Her anger flared as she remembered his soft words.   
  
My father did it… He was drunk… and I was there… and he…  
  
She shook her head. The boy didn't need anyone angry at him right now. He just needed someone to be his friend. Recalling Sasuke, she smiled. It looked like he had already found someone who would stand by him. Sakura too, she remembered.   
  
Naruto felt so light in her arms. She had noticed it earlier. How long had this been going on? The bruises… the cutting… his father…   
  
How long?   
  
She needed to know the answers to these questions, but she didn't know how to find them. The only thing she could do is ask Naruto when he awoke again. And hopefully he would tell her. Hopefully he would give her the information necessary for her to be able to save him.   
  
She shivered as she thought of the dead look in his eyes. This had been going on far to long for her to ignore it. Laying Naruto down and covering him, she wished him good health.   
  
"I'm definitely not sending you back to your house," she told him in a whisper. "I don't know where you'll be, but someone will be willing to take you in."  
  
She thought she saw the ghost of a smile on Naruto's lips as she left him alone.   
  
**I'm sick of all the heat, you can taste the hate in  
The air, running through this family, uncomfortably  
It's killing me  
Is anybody there? ****In your eyes there's  
Nothing to see, just because your dreams  
Have died, don't drag me down, I've still  
Got mine  
**  
Sasuke felt the pain lessen and he finally managed to sit up. Throwing the covers off him, he placed his feet on the floor. Giving a "hut" of effort, the boy finally managed to get into a standing position. His cheeks flushed when he noticed that he was standing in his boxers.   
  
Tsunade came in a second later. "Where are my clothes?" Sasuke demanded.   
  
Tsunade grinned. "I had to cut them off. Don't worry, I called your house. Your brother is coming here with an extra pair for you," she explained. And for Naruto, she added in her thoughts.   
  
Just then, she heard a knock outside. She walked out of the curtains to find Itachi standing there with a small shopping bag.   
  
"Hello, Itachi, its been a while," she told him warmly. Itachi nodded and bowed.   
  
"I haven't been here since the twelfth grade when I broke my leg climbing to the roof," Itachi replied. Tsunade nodded.   
  
"Did you bring the clothes?" she asked.   
  
"Yeah," he said and handed her the bag.   
  
"Your little brother just woke up, so I'll just give him a moment to change," she informed the older version of Sasuke. Itachi nodded. Suddenly an idea occurred to her. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble for you, could you take Uzumaki Naruto home with you. It'll be just for tonight, but…" Tsunade tried to think up a suitable lie.   
  
"All right," Itachi muttered, saving her the trouble. "I don't think I will know why though, will I?"  
  
"No," the woman said quietly. "You won't." Cheering up, she took to the clothes and gave a pair to Sasuke. "Your brother's here for you and Naruto so I'm just going to go wake him and then you'll be on your way."  
  
"Naruto's coming home with us?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He asked to," Tsunade said with a smile. She would have to inform Naruto about that.   
  
"Okay," Sasuke answered before Tsunade disappeared with the rest of the clothes.  
  
**And through the night I see the light  
Shining from the neighbor's window  
I dream of life where I'm safe  
In a home where I am not alone  
Someday I will lay me down on the grass  
Where everything is greener  
It always seems so good on the other side**  
  
A half an hour later, Sasuke was leading a very nervous Naruto into his house. Itachi had dropped them off and then said something about work and left.   
  
"So… um… you asked to come here?" Sasuke said, trying to start a conversation.   
  
Naruto's head shot up. He was being more quiet than usual, and Sasuke was getting worried.   
  
"O-of course! I just wanted to see how you lived, you know," Naruto said, scratching his head and trying to grin. It came out looking extremely fake.   
  
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Why were you crying earlier?" he blurted out, not really meaning to. Shit, he thought, but he wanted to know the reason and that prevented him from pulling back his words.   
  
Naruto's façade dropped immediately and he stared dumbfounded at Sasuke. "W-what do you mean?" he asked in a small voice. "Y-you didn't hear anything did you?"  
  
Naruto felt like he would die if Sasuke had overheard what he and Tsunade had talked about. Sasuke would think I'm disgusting, he thought to himself. Fuck, even I think I'm disgusting… dirty… a fucking whore… Sasuke would hate me for not fighting back… he would hate me for… letting him do this shit, for not defying him.  
  
Sasuke stared at him. "Was there something I wasn't supposed to here?" he asked.   
  
"O-of course not," Naruto said. "Just answer the question."  
  
Sighing, he shook his head. "No, I didn't hear anything. Now come on, I'm starving…" he grumbled.   
  
Naruto nodded as Sasuke guided him to the kitchen.  
  
After they had eaten something, they began to play a game of chess. So far, Sasuke had won once and Naruto had won once.   
  
"This is boring without something on the line," Naruto whined.   
  
Sasuke smirked. "All right, if I win the next game – you have to tell me everything that you aren't telling me," Sasuke said.   
  
Naruto's eyes widened. "F-fine," he stammered, then gained his bearings. "If I win… you have to come to school in a dress – full makeup attire. We'll get Sakura to help when you do."  
  
Sasuke thought this over. That would be the single most humiliating thing he would ever do in his life. But he really wanted to know Naruto's secrets.   
  
"Fine," he replied. I have to win, he told himself. I have to be able to find out what's hurting Naruto and why he was crying.   
  
They began to play once more.   
  
A full two hours later, Naruto swore violently. He saw Sasuke pick up the black Queen and move it onto Naruto's knight. Picking up the Knight, Sasuke put it by his ever growing pile of White pieces.   
  
"Damn you, teme!" Naruto snarled as he picked up his Rook and took out one of Sasuke's Bishops.  
  
"Afraid to lose, dobe?" Sasuke smirked. He shifted his pawn one space up.   
  
Naruto growled. "I will not lose!" he yelled. Sasuke just laughed.   
  
Naruto took his bishop and took Sasuke's Knight.   
  
"You really shouldn't fall for traps, dobe," Sasuke said as the pawn he had used the turn before took Naruto's Bishop.  
  
"F-fuck you!" Naruto yelped as he picked up his queen and took out one of Sasuke's Rooks.   
  
"And you're screwed," Sasuke replied as his Queen killed Naruto's Queen.   
  
Naruto glared at him. "You really fucking suck," he snarled.  
  
"Not actually," Sasuke said as he claimed Naruto's other Knight.  
  
**Neighbor boy runs up to me, his eyes all black and blue  
I said, "what happened to you, boy" he said, "my daddy flew  
Off the hook 'cause I was playing too loud  
I guess he couldn't hear the T.V. he said son,   
I'ma teach you a lesson and then he… and then he…"  
**  
Another half hour and Sasuke was clearly gaining the upper hand again. Suddenly, he moved his recovered Knight. "Checkmate, Naruto," he said.   
  
Naruto looked at the board and felt like he was about to cry.   
  
He had lost.   
  
Naruto looked at Sasuke as the two began to pack up the game. They went up to Sasuke's room and Sasuke made sure the door was shut so that Itachi didn't surprise them.  
  
"So… I won, now you gotta keep your promise," Sasuke said.   
  
Naruto nodded sullenly. He sat down on the floor, looking straight in front of him. Sasuke flinched when he saw the dead eyes.   
  
"Ask a question," Naruto said in a small voice. "And I'll answer it to the best of my ability."  
  
"Where were those bruises from?" Sasuke asked as he recalled the bruises he had poked in gym class.  
  
"My father and my mother," Naruto answered, his voice clouded over in memory. "They're usually drunk all the time, so they get angry at the simplest noise. Or the simplest thing. I'm just their fucking punching bag."  
  
Sasuke felt rage coursing through his body like he had never known before. "Is that why you're so afraid of your dad?" Sasuke asked, fighting to keep his voice steady. He got down on one knee in front of Naruto, staring at the boy intently.   
  
Naruto felt tears well up in his eyes and he didn't fight them.   
  
"No…" Naruto replied. "The pain… you get used to it after a while. You can ignore it. But… he… he gives me another kind of punishment. He…" Naruto felt his voice die off and he looked away from Sasuke. He spoke quietly, almost hoping that Sasuke wouldn't hear him. "He rapes me… whenever he's had a bad day. He's been doing this for… for about… seven years."  
  
**Maybe it's not so good  
On the other side  
It always seems so good  
On the other side  
It always looks so good  
It always seems so good  
It always looks to good  
On the other side  
**  
_((sobs)) This chapter was a bitch to write. I could barely write the ending. It was just too much for me to write the ending, almost… but y'know, once its written, it seems right. I don't know… but that's why my reviewers are here. Right? Right? You'll tell me if it seems real… right? I need someone to. Mainly because I feel as though its fake right now. I don't know why, I just do. shrugs_


	9. Every Sunday

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 10: Every Sunday**  
  
"What did you say?" Sasuke said. His voice was dangerously low, and calm. On the inside was an entirely different story. He was full of rage, screaming that something should be done.   
  
"He's been raping me for seven years," Naruto whispered. He finally looked up at Sasuke through the tears. "That's why I cut myself. I need the release. I need to know that I'm still human – that I'm not a monster!"  
  
Sasuke looked at Naruto with wide eyes. He stepped back and Naruto winced. Sitting down completely, Sasuke could do nothing but stare at the boy.   
  
"I know… I'm disgusting… and weak," he murmured softly. "I probably don't even deserve to live. In fact, I know I don't. Bad things only happen to bad people… if I was innocent, this wouldn't have happened. But I guess I've never been innocent… of anything. And that's why I know I should die. That's why I know I shouldn't be here."  
  
"Wha…?" Sasuke asked, not really understanding what Naruto was saying with his last sentence. Naruto stood, walking towards the door. He turned and bowed.   
  
"Thank you for everything," he said softly. "But I have to get home now."  
  
Sasuke jumped up and ran over to him. Just as Naruto was opening the door, Sasuke slammed it shut again.   
  
"You're not going anywhere!" Sasuke ordered.   
  
Naruto felt ice slip down his back… his nerves were on alert. This reminded him so much of Yon. His eyes began to see – not Sasuke – but his father standing there behind him and he felt himself begin to tremble violently.   
  
Before Sasuke could do anything, Naruto curled up into a little ball. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" he began to whimper, all the while shaking with fear.   
  
**I don't have time for your solutions  
And I don't want to deal with your mistakes  
No matter how much medication  
The doctor says I need to take  
I still say…  
**  
Sasuke looked at his friend, who was still curled up against the door, quaking and apologizing. Then it hit him. I'm reminding him of that asshole, he thought to himself. Kneeling next to his friend, he gathered the quivering Naruto in his arms, leaning against the door.   
  
"Its okay, Naruto," he whispered. "Yon's not here. He can't hurt you anymore. He won't hurt you anymore. Everything's okay now."  
  
Sasuke held Naruto like that until the boy fell asleep. Smiling at the peaceful face, Sasuke brushed Naruto's bangs back a little bit. Naruto curled up to his chest. The raven-haired boy looked down at him in surprise and looked at him with true happiness.   
  
Before he even knew what he was doing, Sasuke leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Naruto's forehead. He picked the boy up and then walked him over to the bed. Kicking the covers back, he put the boy down and tucked him in. Then he sat in a chair, keeping vigil over his best friend.   
  
"Good night," he whispered, watching him. He noticed that the boy looked so peaceful as he slept, but there were still lines of worry that dotted the face. They were almost unnoticeable to people who didn't know Naruto.   
  
**You're the ones that kill your babies  
You're the ones that fuck your kids  
You're the ones that throw each other away  
You're the ones sitting in church every Sunday**  
  
((just making this clear to everyone. This next scene is a DREAM))  
  
_Naruto stood up. Everything was deadly quiet. He was in his own house again, in his own room. Nothing was out of the ordinary. He opened his bedroom door only to find himself on a big grassy field.   
  
"What the fuck?" he asked, but the scene before him made him freeze.  
  
Yon stood with Sasuke and a knife. Sasuke looked around him in fear, blood dripping from his mouth. He turned to Naruto.   
  
"Help me!" he yelled, seeing the blonde boy, but Naruto was frozen to the spot. Yon dragged the knife across Sasuke's neck. The blood splurted everywhere. All of the sudden, Naruto looked down to see that he had been the one who killed Sasuke, not Yon.   
  
Yon stood over him… looking at him with a sickeningly happy expression. "So, Naruto, are you happy?" he asked.   
  
"What do you mean?" Naruto whimpered.   
  
"You killed Sasuke-kun," Yon replied with a sneer. "You killed the one person who actually thought you were worth something. Obviously you aren't, are you? Obviously you're just a piece of trash on the street, aren't you?"  
  
Slowly, Naruto backed away.   
  
He could feel Yon's hand around his throat. Suddenly, Yon pulled back  
  
"You're not worth even killing. You're just a perfect uke aren't you, compliant to everything…"  
  
Naruto shuddered at the words and screamed._   
  
((end dream))   
  
**I don't want your religions  
And I don't need your sympathies  
And I don't want a part of all your hatred  
No matter how much you yell at me  
I still say  
**  
Sasuke awoke with a start when he heard a loud scream. He turned his head an saw Naruto thrashing about on the bed, screaming whenever he could. Running over, he quickly shook the boy awake.   
  
"Naruto!" he yelled, grabbing the boy's shoulders. "Wake up!"  
  
Naruto struggled in his grasp. Sasuke shook him, all the while yelling his name. All of the sudden, Naruto's eyes fluttered open.   
  
"Sasuke…?" he asked. "No… you're dead… how can you be here?"  
  
"I'm not dead, baka!" Sasuke sniped. "I'm real. Its okay! It was just a nightmare."  
  
"Just a nightmare?" Naruto repeated.   
  
Sasuke nodded. Naruto, in his weird state, curled up to Sasuke. Sasuke put a hand on the blonde's head as the boy used his lap for a pillow, fiddling with the hair.   
  
Maybe he would allow it – just this once.   
  
**You're the ones that kill your babies  
You're the ones that fuck your kids  
You're the ones that throw each other away  
You're the ones sitting in church every Sunday**  
  
_Lemonyness! This was the song that actually gave me the idea for the entire "Hi I'm Naruto's dad. I rape my kid" plotline. I'm going to sleep. Soooo tired.   
  
Ja ne  
  
Kyuubi-chan_


	10. With This Knife

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 10: With This Knife**  
  
Naruto woke up the next morning feeling safe for the first time in years. Without opening his eyes, he snuggled into his pillow. He didn't even try to figure out why he felt so secure, but he didn't want to open his eyes and find out that it was all a lie. He reached up and gripped the pillow case with his hand, in an effort to keep himself there.   
  
He didn't want to wake up.  
  
He didn't want this feeling to go away.  
  
Softly, someone was stroking his hair. It made him feel tingly inside and he smiled. Genuinely. It wasn't his mask.   
  
Finally, he opened his eyes, slowly. His first thought was, where the fuck am I? Looking up, he saw his best friend leaning over him, unconsciously stroking his hair.   
  
Naruto blushed to realize that Sasuke had been his pillow. His hand was gripping Sasuke's pants leg, which he had thought was his pillowcase.   
  
"'Morning," the Uchiha greeted with a smile.  
  
"Hi," Naruto said awkwardly back. He didn't want to move, but knew that he should.   
  
Slowly, Naruto sat up, immediately missing the comfort that had surrounded him when he used Sasuke as a pillow. Shaking off the feeling of insecurity, Naruto stretched. He was smiling until the thought hit him.   
  
He needed to get back home.   
  
He knew that he shouldn't have stayed out all night.   
  
**I let myself fall into a lie  
I let my walls come down  
I let myself smile and feel alive  
I let my walls come down**  
  
Sasuke saw the change of expression on Naruto's face. "What's wrong, Naruto?" he asked, his voice soft.   
  
"I gotta go back… there's stuff I need to get…" Naruto was muttering. "And I know Dad won't be happy that I spent the night out."  
  
Sasuke looked at Naruto as though he were crazy. "Even after what he's done to you, you're going back to him?" he asked angrily.   
  
Naruto looked up at Sasuke, his eyes pained. "If I don't go back, he'll just try to track me down. And then you'll be hurt. Or Sakura-chan will be. I won't let that happen."  
  
Sasuke grabbed Naruto's arm. "You've gotta be shitting me, Naruto," he growled. "Look, we can take care of ourselves, so stop playing martyr for us."  
  
"I don't want to see you hurt Sasuke…" Naruto mumbled. "I don't want to see you die…"  
  
Something about the way he said it triggered a memory for Sasuke. The black-haired boy looked at his blue-eyed friend. "Naruto… what did you dream of last night?" he wanted to know.   
  
Naruto looked at him, startled and then told him.   
  
**No matter how I try I don't know why  
You push so far away  
You wrapped your hands tight around my heart  
And squeezed it full of pain  
**  
An hour later, the two boys were packing up to go to school. Itachi was walking around the house in his usual morning stupor. Sasuke ignored it, because he was used to it. Intrigued by the way that Itachi insulted everything, Naruto followed him around.   
  
"Stupid rubber ducky… get the fuck out of my way," Itachi snarled to the couch as he accidentally bumped his shin on it.  
  
Naruto found it hard to suppress giggles at this behavior. To his surprise, Itachi turned to the clock next to Naruto and stormed up to it, looking it right in the face.   
  
"You think its funny, do you, Clock?" he growled, glowering at the poor wooden piece. "You think its funny that the Rubber Ducky hit me in the shin with a baseball bat, don't you?"  
  
Although the clock didn't exactly answer, Itachi smacked it. Grumbling as he walked away, he yelled at three more objects before Sasuke dragged the laughing Naruto out of his house.   
  
"Ne, Sasuke, is he always like that?" Naruto asked with a few chuckles. All thoughts of going home had obviously left his head.   
  
Sasuke smiled. "Yeah… aniki's really fucked up in the mornings," he replied.   
  
The two playfully teased each other all the way to school.   
  
**With this knife I'll cut out the part of me  
The part that cares for you  
With this knife I'll cut out the heart of me  
The heart that cares for you  
  
** Naruto had a relatively good day that day. He was only insulted twice in his first period class (new record), five times in his second period (new record), once in his third period (world record), and sixteen times in his fourth period class (average). He was walking out to meet Sasuke at the cherry blossom trees, humming and skipping because it hadn't been such a bad day after all.   
  
Perhaps I should be a little bit worried, he thought, that today hasn't been too bad. But I just can't get the feeling of happiness out of my head. He sat down, humming a little tune that he was making up as he went along.   
  
"You sound jovial today," Sasuke commented, using big words just to confuse the poor blonde.   
  
Instead of yelling at Sasuke for using the horrifically big word, Naruto just smiled happily and nodded. He leaned back, folding his arms under his head as a pillow.   
  
"Ne, Sasuke-kun," Naruto muttered.   
  
"Hn?"  
  
"What do you wanna be when you grow up?"   
  
Sasuke looked at Naruto. "Hn…" he thought over. "I haven't really thought about it much. In fact, I don't really know what I want to do."  
  
Naruto laughed. Sasuke picked up a handful of grass and threw it at the boy. "So what do YOU want to be then, Mr. Fancy Pants," he growled.   
  
Naruto blushed. "I always thought about becoming a kindergarten teacher."  
  
"Why would you want to do that?"  
  
Naruto smirked. "So I can pass on my pranks to a new generation."  
  
Sasuke looked at him, dumbfounded for a second, before completely cracking up into hysterics. Naruto went over to him, pouting. "Stop laughing at me!" he yelled.   
  
Before he knew what was happening, Sasuke pulled him into a great big bear hug.   
  
"Waaah!" Naruto cried out while still laughing.   
  
The two boys lay there for a long time afterwards, unmoving except for when the wind rustled their hair as it whipped across the hills.   
  
**I can't believe the way you took me down  
I never saw the pain  
Coming in a million broken miles  
Like poison for my veins**  
  
The two didn't know how long they sat there, just enjoying nature at its fullest. They knew the bell for gym class had rung and still they didn't get up. Both were entranced by their own deep thoughts, thinking to themselves. They didn't speak for fear of saying something incredibly stupid.   
  
Slowly, Naruto rolled off Sasuke, looking up at the sky. Like they had that morning, both boys noticed the lack of warmth from being separated. Thinking of this, they blushed and stared at the endless bright blue field that was spread before them like a picnic blanket. It was checkered in white clouds and embroidered with flying birds.  
  
"Naruto…" Sasuke spoke in a soft, wistful tone.  
  
"Hn?" Naruto answered. His voice was also quiet. Neither knew why they were speaking in whispers, but it felt right.  
  
"Will…" Sasuke's voice trailed off as he thought over the question in his head. "Will… you promise me something?"  
  
"It depends on what it is," Naruto replied truthfully. He turned and looked at Sasuke. "What is it?"  
  
"Will you promise to always be here… like this…?" Sasuke asked in a quiet voice.   
  
Blushing furiously, Naruto nodded. "Hai," he whispered to his best friend.  
  
**With this knife I'll cut out the part of me  
The part that cares for you  
With this knife I'll cut out the heart of me  
The heart that cares for you**  
  
Little did the two know that soon there world would be crushed by none other than the man that Naruto feared the most. However, for right now, they lay there, as best friends and felt something between them. Something that can't be described with mere words.   
  
It wasn't just butterflies turning into frogs that bounce around in their stomachs or a tightening in their chests. It wasn't just a tingly sensation down their back or a smile on their faces.   
  
It was just something more than all of that. They didn't know what this feeling was, mainly because they had only seen it in glimpses before in their lives. Even Sasuke, who had a family; and Naruto, who had watched others. They had only seen this every so often, for it is something so rare and so unforgettable by those that can't feel it, that its often overlooked.   
  
Swirling around them was something called love.  
  
**The hate and the fear  
The nightmares that wake   
Me up in tears  
The nightmares and  
The hate and the fear  
The nightmares that wake   
Me up in tears**  
  
It was a little over an hour later when the two finally got up. They walked slowly back to the school, just to retrieve some things from their lockers, when Sasuke noticed the unusual amount of police cars surrounding the entrance.   
  
The police were talking to Iruka-sensei at the moment. Iruka looked hectic, as though he had lost something that was important. He suddenly spotted Naruto behind him with Sasuke.   
  
One look on Iruka's face told the boy's that whatever the man had to say wasn't going to be pleasant news.   
  
Iruka walked quickly over to where they were standing. The police chief was just behind them. Kneeling in front of the blonde and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder, Iruka spoke. "Naruto, I have something that I need to tell you," he murmured.   
  
"What is it, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, his voice quavering. Police had always made him nervous. And Iruka-sensei acting like this wasn't helping in the least.   
  
"I'm afraid your mother is dead, Naruto."  
  
"What?" Naruto yelled. "What happened?"  
  
"We're not entirely sure. But your father is missing and your mother was murdered. He's the prime suspect." Iruka dropped his voice. "The police also suspect you, but I managed to convince them that it couldn't have been you because you haven't been home for two days."  
  
Naruto nodded. He felt Sasuke's warm embrace encircle him, but he couldn't be comforted. Yon had killed Jenny? So… where was the man now? Was Naruto safe anymore?  
  
"It'll be okay, dobe," Sasuke murmured in his ear. "You're gonna stay with Itachi and me until all this is sorted out, all right?"  
  
Naruto nodded, unable to do anything else. He was still in mild shock over what had happened.   
  
Suddenly a sickening thought crossed his head. "How was she killed?" he asked.  
  
Iruka looked to the side guiltily. "Its best if you don't know…" he began.  
  
Naruto stared directly at Iruka. "What happened?" he growled.   
  
Startled, Iruka looked up into the harsh blonde's eyes. "All right, all right, I'll tell you," he muttered. "But don't say I didn't warn you!"  
  
**The nightmares and  
The hate and the fear  
The nightmares that wake   
Me up in tears  
The nightmares and the hate…**  
  
_I really have no idea how his mom died yet. That's why I left this chapter hanging. Guess what people, only four more chapters to go!! I know this because that's how many songs are left on the blasted CD.   
  
Much love to my reviewers. I'm sorry this isn't a long chapter but I'm dead tired and need my sleep. Notice how I didn't say "beauty sleep" because that's just weird. And evil. And just plain… nevermind.   
  
I hope you all like the fic so far. Loves! Kyuubi-chan_


	11. Radio in a Hole

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 11: Radio in a Hole**  
  
"How was my mother killed," Naruto growled. Sasuke's arms were now more holding him back than comforting him. Iruka looked at the boy. He turned to the policeman that had come up behind him.   
  
"Are you the son of Uzomaki Yon?" the policeman asked, looking at the blonde suspiciously.   
  
"Yes," Naruto answered, his brow furrowed.   
  
"Your mother has been murdered."  
  
"I know that. Iruka told me. I want to know how!"  
  
The policeman hesitated for a moment. "Beaten several times over her body with a heavy object – suspected to be a crowbar or a club of some sort. There were thirteen knife wounds to her neck and chest. She had rope marks on her neck, wrists and ankles."  
  
Naruto paled at the information. He could imagine the scene in his head and it was absolutely horrifying to him. He could imagine his father standing over his mother, laughing as he wielded whatever weapon he had had, intent on murdering the woman.   
  
But the fact that his mother was dead did not affect Naruto in the slightest. He didn't really care about that.   
  
It was the face that his father was alive that frightened him. That his father was still alive and still hunting for him – still intent on hurting him. He shivered at the thought. The small shiver went unnoticed by everyone except for Sasuke, who looked at him knowingly.   
  
Even if he didn't know what it was like from personal experience, the idea of someone trying to kill you could be absolutely terrifying.   
  
"Don't worry, dobe," Sasuke whispered in his ear. "Me'n Itachi'll protect you."  
  
**Run to me I can't live without you  
I've walked up walls over them all  
So don't think you're such a queen**  
  
Three months came and went without seeing hide nor hair of Yon. Naruto was living with Itachi and Sasuke. He had fallen into the daily routine of wake up, take a shower, follow Itachi around the house for fun, eat the breakfast that Sasuke prepared for the three of them, go to school, come home, do homework, eat dinner Itachi prepared, help Sasuke with tomorrow's lunch and then sleep.   
  
Of course, there were a few changes here and there, but that was basically his lifestyle. And he didn't mind it. It was normal – it wasn't painful – and it wasn't humiliating.   
  
"Oy! Naruto!" Sasuke yelled from his room. Naruto was currently in the T.V. room, watching a movie entitled "Space Ninjas of the Twenty-Fourth and a Half Century!" which was a cartoon and hilarious.   
  
"What?" Naruto shouted back.   
  
Before Sasuke could reply, Itachi burst out of his study. "STOP SCREAMING!" he bellowed and then walked back into his room as though nothing had happened.   
  
Chuckling to himself, Naruto went upstairs to see what Sasuke was screaming about.  
  
"What is it?" Naruto asked as he pushed open the door.   
  
"Tomorrow's your birthday, right?" he asked.   
  
Naruto nodded.   
  
"Where do you want to go for dinner?"  
  
Naruto thought about it for a moment and then grinned. "Ichiraku's!" he yelped, thrilled at the thought of the ramen shop.  
  
"Fine, fine, Ichiraku's it is," Sasuke said. He was really happy that he had introduced the blonde to the wonders of ramen. The only bad thing was the fact that Naruto seemed to want to eat nothing else.   
  
Shaking his head, Naruto left. It was the first time someone had asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he really didn't know how to feel. However, a night at Ichiraku's sounded fun and there was nothing to stand in his way of enjoying ramen!  
  
Sasuke smiled as he saw Naruto left. He was beginning to think of the boy as more than a friend and he felt a little squeeze on his heart every time that Naruto smiled at him.   
  
What is this feeling? Sasuke wondered as he sat on the ledge of his window. He shook it off as the feeling of friendship. Still, a small voice in the back of his mind persisted that it could be something more. He felt a fluttering in his stomach as he thought about the blonde again.   
  
"Gah," he grunted to himself. "What's happening to me?"  
  
There was no answer.   
  
**You're mine in a sick way  
You're my radio in a hole: covered up  
You're all the love that could be  
But never was**  
  
Naruto went down to the couch. He turned on his movie again, but wasn't really paying attention to it. The couch was too comfortable. He felt like falling back into it and just sleeping. So that's what he did.   
  
((Dream sequence. Don't you just love 'em?"  
  
_Naruto walked down the stairs of the Uchiha household. It was strangely empty. He made it down to the first floor where he heard the faint voices of Itachi and Sasuke. They were in the kitchen. Just as he was about to throw open the door and announce his presence, he heard his name being mentioned. He leaned up against the door, trying to hear what was going on inside better.   
  
"We'll have the job done by the end of the week, don't worry so much," Itachi was saying.   
  
"I just want Naruto dead, nothing more," a deep voice answered. Naruto froze in fear, recognizing the voice of his father.   
  
"And we already said we'll kill him for you," Sasuke replied.   
  
"I'll get you the reward as soon as can be, then," Yon told the two.   
  
There was a brief moment of silence. Naruto could barely register what he was hearing. He felt so many emotions well up inside of him. Betrayal, pain, loneliness and fear, just to name a few.   
  
Just as he was walking away, to disappear, he heard the kitchen door open.   
  
"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Sasuke asked.   
  
Naruto looked over his shoulder. Sasuke was standing there with a concerned look on his face. He had his hands behind his back.   
  
"I'm disappearing," Naruto replied truthfully.   
  
"Aww, don't do that," Sasuke told him, suddenly appearing behind him. Before Naruto could do or say anything, Sasuke took the knife he was hiding behind his back and stabbed it into Naruto's spine.   
  
Naruto fell with a cry of pain as the knife entered the bone and then went through it. He was blinking spots back from his vision. Sasuke yanked the knife out and plunged it into the boy's back again. He did this eleven more times before Naruto finally allowed the blackness to fall.   
_  
((end dream))  
  
Naruto awoke suddenly, eyes darting around. He was breathing heavily and shaking like a leaf. It was just a dream, he told himself. Just a fucking dream. There's no way that Sasuke'd do that to me. There's no fucking way.   
  
He stayed there until he could get his breath and nerves under control.   
  
"And just when I thought I was getting over the fact that my own dad wants me dead," he muttered to himself, covering his eyes with his forearm.   
  
**Care for me like I need you  
You're in my mind its only time before  
The drug you feed me ends it all  
**  
Naruto didn't tell Sasuke about his nightmare, preferring to just keep quiet about it. The next night, the two went to Ichiraku's to get some ramen.   
  
"Happy Birthday, Naruto!" Sasuke told him with a grin as Ichiraku set a bowl of ramen in front of each of them.   
  
Naruto grinned and began to shovel the food down his throat. Sasuke laughed as he took a more practical pace in consuming the food. With the exception of the people that worked at Ichiraku's, everyone was sending angry looks at Naruto and Sasuke.   
  
Naruto completely ignored them, but Sasuke was finding it harder than his friend to do it. He was about to say something to a particularly nasty woman when he heard Naruto's voice next to him.   
  
"Leave it," the blonde murmured softly. Sasuke looked at him in surprise.   
  
"You're not angry about this?"  
  
"Of course I am, but just because you or I know that something isn't true doesn't mean that everyone else will believe it, ne?"  
  
Sasuke nodded when he realized what Naruto was saying was true.   
  
The two soon left the ramen shop in order to go on their way back to the Uchiha household. Sasuke pulled something out from his pocket and handed it to Naruto.   
  
"Here's my real present to you," he told the blonde as he handed him the small box wrapped in dark blue paper.   
  
Naruto blushed faintly as he accepted it. His first birthday present…   
  
He quickly unwrapped it and opened the box. Inside was a delicately crafted silver talisman of a fox head. The silver piece had one sapphire eye and one garnet eye. On the back of it was a miniature of the Uchiha crest. (what's on the back of Sasuke's shirts… I don't know how to explain it. It looks like a ping pong paddle to me, but I don't think that's what it really is)  
  
To Sasuke's surprise, Naruto jumped on him, knocking him to the ground with a big bear hug. He gave out a startled cry whilst falling and an "oomph" upon landing. Then he began to laugh. Naruto, after looking at him strangely for a moment joined in the laughter.   
  
Naruto was happier than he had ever been before.  
  
**You're mine in a sick way  
You're my radio in a hole: covered up  
You're all the love that could be  
But never was  
**  
The next day was, unfortunately, a Monday. Naruto looked up at the clock from his bed – the Uchihas had ordered a new one, so now Sasuke and Naruto shared a room.   
  
"Kuso…" he grunted, rolling over and covering his head with his pillow as the alarm blared. Across the room, he could hear Sasuke making signs of life, getting up.   
  
Noticing that Naruto didn't want to get up, Sasuke tiptoed over to his roommate's bed and smashed Naruto's stomach with his pillow.   
  
"Get up, you lazy dobe!" Sasuke shouted.   
  
Naruto looked up at him through bleary eyes and before Sasuke knew what happened, Naruto had whacked him upside the head with a pillow.   
  
The two smashed each other with pillows until Itachi came into their room, muttering something about pink elephants. The two chuckled as they made their way downstairs, Naruto hopping in the shower whilst Sasuke continued on towards the kitchen in order start breakfast. He could hear Itachi in the other room but paid no attention to his older brother.   
  
There wasn't really anything to pay attention to. His brother was psycho in the morning and it didn't wear off until after a sufficient amount of coffee had been supplied for him. Sasuke didn't know where Itachi got that trait, but he would have to remember to lock his and Naruto's door from now on.   
  
He really didn't want Itachi's "pink elephants" in his room. Not in the slightest.  
  
**It's okay to be what you are  
Don't pretend to smile  
It's okay to be what you want  
Don't pretend to smile  
It's only time in my mind  
It's meant to be in my mind**  
  
_Hi minna-san! Just to clear up a few matters, even though no one's really complained about them. This is just to eliminate any confusion.   
  
Sasuke is different from the anime/manga in several ways. A. He's not an ass. B. He's not a ninja. C. He has parents. That's right, folks. Itachi never committed those crimes, which means that Sasuke never had a reason to go psychopathic on the world that he oh-so-loved. I know his parents aren't in the story, but like I said in earlier chapter: they're on a happy trip around the world. Be proud for them, everyone. I'm making him as what I envision him to have been if he hadn't had to become Mr. Avenge-My-Family. Just clearing that up for you.   
  
Don't mind the pink elephants or my random comments about Itachi's morning thing. That's just there for comic relief or as a filler if I have nothing better to do. Yeah… I know that Naruto's birthday should be a big thing, but I've got plans for the last couple chapters and if I had Naruto's birthday be that big, then it would last too long and there would be details that I don't feel like writing, etc. etc. etc._


	12. All My Problems

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 12: All My Problems**  
  
As Naruto walked down the stairs in his normal orange jumpsuit whilst drying his hair, he was encountered by a long string of curses.   
  
"What is it?" he asked as he walked into the kitchen, to find a very angry Sasuke yelling at a very empty milk carton.  
  
"We're out of milk, and I was making pancakes!" Sasuke growled with a small pout.   
  
"I'll go get some," Naruto offered, tossing the towel on the back of a chair.   
  
"You sure…?" Sasuke asked, a little worried.   
  
"Don't worry, Sasuke-chan," Naruto teased. "It's been three and a half months. He's probably long gone." Naruto smiled, even though Sasuke knew the boy well enough to know that it was fake.   
  
"All right," Sasuke said. "But if your not back in a half hour, I'll call the police!"  
  
"Stop joking, Mom," Naruto shouted, grinning as he left. He managed to dodge the spatula that Sasuke had aimed for his head.   
  
**By now I should have been somewhere  
Or gone to school or fixed my hair  
Back down tell it to someone else  
Who gives a shit and needs your help  
'Cause I found  
**  
Naruto walked down the street. He was in a good mood. For the first month or so, he had been a complete wreck after his mother had been killed. He had thought that everyone was his father and that even the simplest noise was someone coming to kill him. Sasuke and Itachi had helped him through that stage. The second month, he was a bit worried but was able to act like his normal self.   
  
When weeks still went by with nothing happening, Naruto had finally forgotten his fear, thinking that his father was in a town far, far away.   
  
He ran down the street, not caring the glares he got from nearby shopkeepers. Some of the shops liked him every since he moved in with the Uchihas whilst others hated him more because of it. He just memorized those with a grudge against him and avoided their shops as best he could. Naruto never went where he wasn't welcomed – with the exception of his former home. But he didn't think that really counted. It wasn't like he had wanted to go back there. That just sort of happened.   
  
Changing his train of thought before he became depressed, Naruto smiled at the normal shoppers. It wasn't the first time that they had run out of something and Naruto had gone out to buy a new carton or whatever of the vanished product.  
  
He stopped at the grocer's. "Hello, Ji-chan," he greeted the old man behind the counter.   
  
"Ah, Naruto-kun, what brings you here today?" Jii-chan replied.   
  
"Sasuke forgot to get more milk last week so we ran out of it again."  
  
Jii-chan laughed. "Here you go, Naruto-kun," he told the boy as he handed him the half-gallon of milk. Leaning over the counter so that Naruto could hear him whisper, Jii-chan explained, "There's some licorice in the bottom for you and Sasuke-kun. Just don't tell Baa-chan."  
  
Naruto grinned. "Arigato gozimasu!" he bowed and ran off. Jii-chan waved to him until he was out of sight.   
  
Nobody noticed the overbearing shadow that stalked Naruto. And if they did, they didn't say anything about it.   
  
**What I needed and I   
Don't need you to tell me how you feel  
And if I fall you are  
Not that one that has to cope and deal  
All my problems are for me**  
  
Naruto was getting closer and closer to what he now considered his home. There was nobody around as he walked down this particular street. It didn't matter to Naruto, he was used to it. Once you got past the hospital, there was really nothing in this side of town except for the Uchiha house. However, the morning's eeriness was beginning to settle on Naruto's shoulders. He felt as though he were being followed.   
  
"I'm just paranoid," he muttered to himself as he quickened his pace. Naruto felt the hair on his neck prickle and he turned around.   
  
"WHO THE FUCK IS THERE!" he yelled.   
  
Nobody answered.   
  
"All right," Naruto tried to assure himself. "No big deal. I'm just losing my mind here."  
  
He began his journey back to home, as it was only just around the corner. Standing out here and waiting for an answer to his insane call would be stupid.   
  
He was just about to turn the corner when a hand grabbed the back of his shirt and shoved him into an alleyway. The person's other hand came over the boy's mouth as he dropped the grocer's bag in surprise.   
  
His eyes widened in fear as he looked up into the similar eyes of his father. ((yeah… I know… everyone could see that one coming a mile away… -.- I don't blame you))  
  
**My god, look at his tattoos and those earrings  
He could never get a good job  
Go home and beat your kids so they   
Don't turn out as bad as me  
Cause I found  
**  
"Shut up, you fucking whore!" Yon hissed, his hand clamping painfully over Naruto's mouth. Naruto tried to struggle but was kneed in the gut by Yon. He gasped as he felt his legs weaken, but refused to fall.   
  
For the first time in his entire life, Naruto punched back. It had become a reflex for him at Sasuke's house. Whenever the raven-haired boy punched him, naruto's first reaction was to hit him back. It just accidentally happened with Yon.   
  
Yon, surprised, let go of Naruto. The boy tried to make a run for it but Yon had caught up with him in less than a second. He grabbed Naruto by the neck, hard enough to bruise, and three him against the wall of a nearby building. Naruto felt pain shoot through him.   
  
"Ow…" he groaned as he sank to the ground.   
  
"You've forgotten your manners, Naruto-kun," Yon said as he grabbed the boy by his neck and dragged him off. Naruto couldn't stop the tears running down his face.   
  
**What I needed and I  
Don't need you to tell me how you feel  
And if I fall you are  
Not the one that has to cope and deal  
All my problems are for me  
**  
Sasuke looked at the clock, confused as he stepped out of the shower. He quickly dried himself off and then thought that the clock must be wrong. After all, Naruto had always been pretty prompt, especially when it had anything to do with food.   
  
But Naruto had been gone for a little over an hour.   
  
Slowly, he walked downstairs to where his brother was attacking the coffee machine and then proclaiming that he was going to marry his coffee mug. Sasuke sat down at the table, waiting for the Morning Itachi to pass.   
  
It was another fifteen minutes before Itachi was normal again.   
  
"What are you still doing here, little brother?" Itachi asked. "And where's Naruto? Don't the two of you have school today?"  
  
Sasuke nodded. "I sent Naruto out to get milk an hour ago and he hasn't returned," he mumbled. He knew he shouldn't have sent that dobe out there, but Naruto had insisted.   
  
"Have you checked around for him?" Itachi asked.   
  
Sasuke shook his head. "I just got out of the shower, for one thing, and I was waiting for you for another," Itachi's little brother told him.   
  
"Waiting for me?" Itachi asked mildly.   
  
Sasuke nodded. "I don't know what's happened to Naruto and I don't want to think about it, but I need your help, at least."  
  
Itachi nodded. "Gimme a moment and I'll get dressed."  
  
He walked upstairs in order to get dressed, dragging the coffee pot around with him and his mug. Sasuke stared towards the door of the house, a worried expression in his eyes.   
  
He imagined Naruto coming in, stuttering out some lame excuse while smiling. That's what would happen every other day – but today felt different. Sasuke couldn't explain what was different about it. Something was missing, though. Something that he didn't even want to think about it.   
  
When Itachi hadn't come down in twenty minutes, Sasuke figured he had accidentally returned to sleep. Scrawling a note and leaving it on the table, the boy raced out the door.   
  
**All my problems are for me  
I don't need your eyes to see   
I will be what I will be**

Sasuke turned the corner that would eventually take him to the marketplace. He hadn't even made it twenty feet when he slipped on something and landed hard on his back.   
  
Sitting up, he growled to himself, rubbing his sore hip. "That's strange – it hasn't rained for a while," he told himself, staring back at what he had slipped on. It was milk.   
  
Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise and he cursed himself a hundred fold. The milk was warm, meaning that it had been sitting out here for a while before he had showed up. There was a faint trail of milk leading towards another side street.   
  
Without hesitation, Sasuke followed the trail. He ran as quickly as he could, trying to figure out where Naruto was. Calling out his friend's name, he hoped to receive an answer. However, he wasn't too surprised when none came to him.   
  
"Dammit, dobe," he yelled after another half hour of searching. He punched the wall just as the clouds opened up, spilling rain onto his head. He didn't mind though. The rain helped to hide the tears that were spilling down his cheeks. "Why the fuck did this happen…? Where the fuck are you!"  
  
He just wanted to curl up at the moment but the thought of Naruto kept him going. He walked through the rainy streets, trying to find his friend and roommate.   
  
He came near to the grocer's that Naruto had been at earlier.   
  
"Ah, Sasuke-kun," Jii-chan said. "I hope that milk got home okay."  
  
Sasuke looked at the old grocer. "Ne, Jii-chan, you saw Naruto this morning, right?" he asked.   
  
"'Course I did, he bought a half-gallon of milk off me because you forgot to buy some two days ago, didn't you," Jii-chan said.   
  
Sasuke nodded, looking a little bit sheepish.   
  
"Did something happen to Naruto-kun?" Jii-chan asked. The old grocer was always good at getting to the point.  
  
"I'm not sure, Jii-chan," Sasuke replied honestly. "He never showed up back home."  
  
Jii-chan looked startled and Sasuke hoped that he didn't accidentally give the old man a heart attack. "I'm sure he's fine though," Sasuke added quickly. "He probably got held up somewhere."  
  
"Well he'd best hurry home cuz that milk's probably rotten right now."  
  
"I'll make sure he's more careful in the future."  
  
"You do that, Sasuke-kun. See you later."  
  
"Bye, Jii-san."  
  
Sasuke ran off. He couldn't the old man anything, so he continued on his way, wondering where his best friend was.   
  
**Stop coming around 'cause you bother me  
Stupid mother fucker, pull your head out of your ass and see  
What don't you get? Was I stuttering?  
I don't need to take your shit, get away from me**  
  
Itachi finally came back down the stairs, bleary-eyed but awake (for the most part). He looked in the kitchen and saw a piece of paper on the table. Walking over to it, he picked it up. As he read, his eyes widened.   
  
_Aniki-  
  
I'm going to find Naruto. I can't shake the feeling that something really bad has happened to him. Can you send out a police search for him? I know that it hasn't been 24 hours since he went missing, but I feel that by that time – he won't be the Naruto we know anymore. Please. If you can't, that's okay – but I'm off to find him.   
  
-Sasuke  
_  
"Fuck!" Itachi yelled, rushing out of the house. He grabbed his car keys and gun on the way out, rushing to his car just as it started to rain. He revved up the engine, flicked on the lights and shot out of the driveway, all the while cursing and swearing in every language and way he knew.   
  
**All my problems are for me  
I don't need your eyes to see  
I will be what I will be  
All my problems are for me**  
  
_Hihi! This is Kyuubi-chan just here to chat or whatever. I'm done chapter twelve, so that means only two more chapters left. I hope you'll like them. please stay tuned. I'm not sure if I'm updating the next one tonight or tomorrow. I just know it will be soon. That I can promise.   
  
Ja ne. _


	13. I Want My Life

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoShika in later chapters.   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 13: I Want My Life**  
  
Kyuubi took one look at what was going on and raced off to find Sasuke. He searched the house where he and Naruto had been for the past three and a half months. No one was there. Sniffing Sasuke's stuff, he followed the boy's sent until it led him to the boy. Sasuke was in the middle of a deserted street, looking wildly around him.   
  
"Jeez, brat," Kyuubi muttered as he approached the boy. "You'll never find Naruto that way."  
  
Looking around, Sasuke wondered who had spoken. Kyuubi scratched the boy's leg, making him look down.   
  
"You know where Naruto is?" he asked as his mind registered the nine-tails.   
  
Nodding, Kyuubi ordered a quick, "Follow me" before racing off.   
  
Sasuke followed close behind.   
  
**I try to be the man I am, in times of broken lives  
And shattered dreams and plans, standing up to fight  
The pressures and demands, staring at the knife  
And holding it your hand, what used to be your life**  
  
The Kitsune took Sasuke to a very beat up building that Sasuke had never known to have existed. It looked to be an abandoned corporate building or something of the like. Brick stones were crumbling and the door was rusty silver – blank and unfriendly.   
  
It also took Sasuke ten minutes to open.  
  
Kyuubi and Sasuke walked inside. The gloom seemed to press on them. Kyuubi was currently telling the boy where he could find Naruto.   
  
"He's on the third floor, in the second room. Do you have a weapon with you?" the fox asked.   
  
Sasuke shook his head.   
  
"You're an idiot, but there's a sharpened pipe to your right, you might want to pick that up. Its going to be dangerous going up against Yon. He's big, he's mean and he's not afraid to kill you."  
  
Sasuke did as he was told, listening closely to the invisible fox. Slowly, he sets his mouth in a grim line and begins to ascend the stairs. He reaches the second door and slams it open. His look of anger turned quickly to a quiet gasp of ssurprise when he looked at the scene before him.   
  
**This world is crazy  
My dreams are fading  
No one can save me**  
  
Naruto stood, his wrists tied to a hook above his head. His head was resting on his chest, as though he didn't have the strength to hold it up anymore. Blood seeped from numerous cuts and gashes that had been made, presumably, by his father. Bruises dotted his entire body and one of his arms was bent at a strange angle. Sasuke looked around, noting that Yon was no where in sight.   
  
He ran over to where Naruto was. On closer inspection, he saw the boy was gagged. He carefully removed the cloth from Naruto's mouth before speaking to him. "Naruto?" he asked softly.  
  
"Keep yer voice down," Naruto growled in a low voice, accidentally spitting blood from his puffy lips. One of them was split. He had blood leaking down his chin from the corner of his mouth.   
  
"Where's Yon?" Sasuke wanted to know as he cut the ropes that were holding his friend up. Immediately, Naruto's body sagged forward. Sasuke caught him before he fell to the ground.  
  
"I… don't know," the boy whispered faintly. "He just left…"  
  
"What happened to you…?" Sasuke couldn't help asked as he sat down, trying to find a more comfortable position for his friend.   
  
"I was walking home from Jii-chan's when he grabbed me," Naruto explained faintly. He seemed to be able to move his limbs. "That's when Yon grabbed me and dragged me here. He tied me up and gagged me, taking my clothes. The he raped me… beat me…" Tears fluttered from Naruto's eyes, rolling down his face. "I couldn't do anything to stop it… I couldn't do anything to stop him…"  
  
"Shh, just rest," Sasuke told him. "Everything will be okay."  
  
Naruto nodded, closing his eyes. He hoped that Sasuke was right. That was the last coherent thought that went through his head before he fell asleep.   
  
Sasuke was just about to pick Naruto up and take him home when he heard the floorboard creak behind him. Gulping, Sasuke gripped the pipe, turning around.   
  
Yon's eyes were narrow blue slits as he glared at Sasuke.   
  
**I want my life  
I want my life**  
  
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Yon growled. He flicked a knife out of his pocket, holding it threateningly.   
  
Sasuke stared at the knife, his eyes wide with fear before he shook his head and stared at Yon. This was the man that had hurt his friend so much. This was the man that needed to die because of the pain he had caused Naruto.   
  
He ran at the man, wielding the pipe like a sword, holding it in both hands. He had seen this move performed several times in movies and his mind briefly wondered if it would work in normal life.   
  
Yon was able to dodge the full blast of the hit, while slashing his knife at Sasuke's arm. Sasuke winced as he felt the scrape on his arm. He turned and kicked Yon full in the stomach. Yon only responded by punching Sasuke in the eye.   
  
Sasuke stumbled back, his mind reeling. He couldn't see straight. When he finally did get his vision back, he saw Yon's foot slamming into his ribcage. He felt the waves of pain shoot throw him as he was thrown back.   
  
"I'll teach you the meaning of pain and then maybe you won't stick your nose in other people's business, you fucking asshole," Yon yelled. He kicked Sasuke in the ribs. Sasuke yelled in pain.   
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto, laying helpless. I have to get up, he told himself fiercely. I can't let Yon win.   
  
Slowly, he struggled to his feet, brandishing his pipe like a katana. But his stance had changed. He was no longer filled with endless rage, rather a calm sense of content. He was taking out Yon because Yon happened to be the person who hurt Naruto. He was the asshole that had hurt Sasuke's best friend – the person that Sasuke loved the most.   
  
And Sasuke would avenge Naruto if it was the last thing he did.   
  
He rushed at Yon with a newfound purpose filling him. It gave him new strength to his bleeding body and pained ribcage. After this, he could fall and die. But for right now, he would have to fight on.  
  
**You fight your fucked up holy wars  
Fire antichrist, Jesus will come down  
And help us win tonight, now how should I fell  
I think I feel all right, so tell me where to aim  
I'm blinded by the light**  
  
Yon blocked Sasuke's first rush, knocking him back. Sasuke just came back, pretending to focus all of his force on the swing he made with the pipe. When Yon blocked that, he punched Yon in the face with all the strength he had. He could feel the bone of Yon's nose cracking under him.   
  
Putting his hand back on the pipe, he swung it up, hitting Yon in the stomach. He spun in a quick circle and placed a well-aimed kick to the man's chin. Yon fell back. Sasuke stood, panting slightly. Yon rolled onto his stomach and struggled to his feet.   
  
"So you're pretty good, you little brat," he said, wiping blood from his chin.   
  
Sasuke didn't answer him. He just came in again and instead of using the pipe as a katana, he jammed the pipe into the wooden floor and jumped, using his momentum and the extra lift of the pipe to smack into Yon's face with both of his feet. He landed, feeling Yon's head smack into the floor before loosing his balance and rolling off. He lay still where he was, his entire body on fire from the injuries Yon had dealt to him. He smiled to himself, trying to get air into his body, but every time he breathed, he felt pain lace through him.   
  
Is this what dying feels like? He wondered before blacking out.   
  
**This world is crazy  
My dreams are fading  
No one can save me  
I want my life**  
  
When Sasuke awoke next, he was no longer in the abandoned corporate building, but a softly lit white room. He still couldn't move. He felt the breathing mask on his face. Where am I? he thought to himself, before realizing that he was at a hospital.   
  
"Uchiha-san?" someone asked. He turned and saw a pretty young nurse staring down at him.   
  
"Huh?" Sasuke asked.   
  
"Oh good, you're awake! I'll just be right back with Itachi-sama and a doctor. Just please, hold on for a moment," she said.   
  
"Uh… hai…" Sasuke muttered before the nurse disappeared.   
  
No more than five minutes later, the nurse returned with a doctor and Itachi.   
  
"Itachi! What happened to Naruto?" he asked, his will helping him to sit up. Although it wasn't the smartest idea in the world, as he felt nauseas as soon as he did. "And Yon?"  
  
"Relax little brother," Itachi said, pushing Sasuke back down. The doctor was checking Sasuke's vitals. "Doctor?"  
  
"Yes?" the white-coated man asked.   
  
"May I have five minutes alone with my brother?"  
  
"Sure. I'll be back soon. Don't let him move around too much."  
  
The doctor and the nurse walked out. They went into a nearby closet in order to… ahem… back to Itachi and Sasuke.   
  
"Aniki… where's Naruto?" Sasuke repeated. "What happened to Yon?"  
  
"Yon was dead when I got there," Itachi explained. "Both you and Naruto were unconscious and bloody. I called paramedics as soon as I could on my cell phone, giving them the address of that building."  
  
"How long have I been asleep?"  
  
"Three weeks."  
  
"Where's Naruto?"  
  
"Asleep in another room. He hasn't woken up once."  
  
Suddenly another thought occurred to Sasuke. "How the hell did you find us?"  
  
"You forget, little brother," Itachi said. "You're not the only one with the Sharingan." He began to pet the air on his shoulder. On closer inspection, Sasuke saw Kyuubi there, purring at the attention.   
  
Slowly, Sasuke went back to sleep, feeling content that everything was going to be okay.   
  
**And when I wake up, you'll be here  
And it will be the way is was (the way it was)  
**  
It was another week before Sasuke was allowed to get out of bed. Every time he did, he had to use a wheelchair while his ribs were broken (since he had five broken ribs, he wasn't stable enough to walk around on his own). Each time, Itachi took him to visit the still unconscious Naruto. Now was one of those visits.   
  
As always, Sasuke requested that Itachi stay outside and that he would call him when he was ready.   
  
"Hey, Naruto," he murmured, gripping the sleeping boy's hand. Naruto had sustained injuries that were much worse than Sasuke's and he had to be kept on life support twenty-four/seven. "It's Sasuke again. I'm still not allowed to walk around without the wheelchair. Hell, I'm not even allowed to going around the hospital without Itachi or a nurse accompanying me. I think their afraid that I'll jump out of my wheelchair and try to fly out a window. Either that or that kid that I was telling you about, Neji, and I would be having wheelchair races. Neji's part of the Hyuuga clan, so he's eyes are really freaky-like, but he's still pretty cool. When you wake up, I'll take you to meet him, okay?"  
  
He sighed, looking at Naruto's peaceful face. He wished that he could see Naruto's baby blue eyes again. Naruto wasn't dead, but this was a coma-like state, even though his brain activity pointed to him just sleeping.   
  
"Come on, Naruto," he murmured, "wake up." He looked at the boy, gripping his hand. "You promised me!" Sasuke could remember the promise they had made the day that Naruto's mother had been killed – the day they had found out about it, at least.   
  
_((Flashback))  
  
"Will…" Sasuke's voice trailed off as he thought over the question in his head. "Will… you promise me something?"  
  
"It depends on what it is," Naruto replied truthfully. He turned and looked at Sasuke. "What is it?"  
  
"Will you promise to always be here… like this…?" Sasuke asked in a quiet voice.   
  
Blushing furiously, Naruto nodded. "Hai," he whispered to his best friend.  
  
((End Flashback))  
_  
"Come on, dobe, you fucking promised me you would never leave me," Sasuke murmured into Naruto's blankets, still gripping the boy's hand as though it were all he could do. As if somehow, Naruto would wake up if he knew that Sasuke was there, holding his hand.   
  
Sasuke looked up at Naruto's face through the tears that were falling. He couldn't help being emotional like this when the person he loved – and he no longer denied that he loved him more than a friend – was in this state of health.   
  
"Come on, Naruto, you gotta wake up," Sasuke whispered. "You gotta survive, because I love you."  
  
**I want my life (in times of broken lives)  
I want my life (in times of broken lives)  
I want my life (in times of broken lives)**  
  
_BWA HAA HA! I shall end it there. And guess what, people? I will do a reply to individual reviews because I'm bored, don't know how to write the next chapter and feel like it, so bear with me.   
  
_**ITSAME**_: Well, Itachi didn't really need to, did he? I hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for being my first reviewer on this story. It made me feel happy that someone reviewed!  
  
_**x-Track11-x**_: I loved your Iruka plusie. So kawaii!! I hope you liked this chapter as much as you liked the rest of the story.  
  
_**chibi chidori16**_: I hope this is soon enough for an update! Thanks for the review!  
  
_**hebi**_: Are you satisfied with what Yon got coming to him? He's dead now… so I suppose that's good. Yeah… I think that's definitely good. =P  
  
_**kitsune**_: I'm a girl, but I don't mind being called "dude". In fact, I prefer it. It's a long story. And I do have two other Naruto fics, but since Kitsu (my muse) loves this one the most, I'll write the final chapter and then start on the others again.   
  
_**Sakura Kuroyo**_: Sorry for leaving it like that. I just couldn't figure out what else to do… also, I was trying to get into the mindset to write this chapter.  
  
_**Rai-Chan**_: I'm not sure if its gonna be a lemon, but there's definitely some sasunarusasu goodness in the next chapter. Stay tuned for it, please!  
_  
**Toki Mirage**_: Sheesh, you have a very horrific way to kill Yon. I thought about several weird ways to kill him, including Sasuke fighting him and then WHABAM, Itachi's there and he shoot him, but I figured that would be unrealistic. Thanks for answering my question on MSN, that helped me a lot. I hope you liked this chapter!  
  
_**Falcon-Rider**_: Poor Naruto indeedy, but the next chapter is gonna be extra nice to him ((wink wink))  
  
_**ghostninja85**_: Wow, you're the only one that mentioned the Duck Dodgers parody. I was surprised. I thought there would be more. But I guess I was wrong. Congratulations on being the only one to mention the Duck Dodgers ((claps))  
  
_**Ookima**_: thank you soooo much for reviewing. I've been reading your stories and I love 'em, so I consider it an honor to have you review mine and say its good. =D thank you!  
  
_**Naruto and Sasuke's Tenshi**_: You said the most whiny tone possible. I was wondering. Was it Naruto whiny or Sakura whiny?  
  
All right! I'm done this chapter, so stay tuned for the final chapter of the story:_ **Eraser**_.   
  
P.S. I would give you a preview… but considering I haven't started it… that would be kind of hard…_


	14. Eraser

**Disclaimer**: Why must I keep saying this… but I don't own anything. I'm poor and damn proud of it.   
  
**Warnings**: Shonen-ai, violence, child abuse, language, rape, incest, etc. This thing is rated R for a reason people and its not because I want to be a pirate. Heed the rating, cuz its not nice to try and get others in trouble and all.   
  
**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, maybe even some SakuLee and InoKiba   
  
**Summary**: In the present time, Naruto has parents. Instead of loving him, like his soul always hoped they would, they despise him as much as everyone else. He is constantly beaten by both his father and his mother. What happens when those around him, like Sasuke and Sakura, find out that something's not quite right? AU, SasuNaru  
  
Replies to reviews will be done at the end of the chapter  
  
**Title: Smile, Empty Soul  
Chapter 14: Eraser**   
  
_(((One Year Later)))_  
  
Naruto was sitting under the cherry blossom trees that he had first met Sasuke under – well, really met Sasuke under. The two had met in class, but he figured that didn't count, because he had fallen asleep and Sasuke was an anti-social bastard. Naruto sighed, remembering those days as he lay back, folding his arms under his head.   
  
He had woken up from his coma-like state a month after Sasuke did. The doctors said that it had something to do with the emotional wounds. He had had to attend physical therapy for his arm for six months, and a psychiatrist for therapy on his head for ten months. He was happy just to be free of therapy, and hoped he would never have to go back there.   
  
He was now a senior at the high school that he, Sasuke, and Sakura still attended. Although he didn't see too much of Sakura anymore – considering she and Rock Lee were getting along just fine – the two were still good friends.   
  
And he was still living at the Uchiha house with Itachi and Sasuke.   
  
However, sometimes he thought that was a bad thing. Every time he saw Sasuke, he had a weird feeling in his stomach – like butterflies bouncing off the sides and it drove him insane. It was at the times when the butterflies got too much for him that he loved school – it was a place where the butterflies would calm down.   
  
Naruto closed his eyes, just letting the spring sunshine rest on his features. His golden hair had grown longer, so it now shined in the sun like a halo, surrounded his head. Ever since he had learned that Yon was dead, he had become a much quieter person. Many of the girls who used to love Sasuke had broken off and formed a "Uzumaki Naruto Offical Fangirl/boy Club". Naruto still couldn't figure out if he should love the idea or be horrified at it.   
  
He was just proud, that for twenty minutes, he had escaped the fangirls and fanboys and found refuge at the one place that he had always loved to be. Under the cherry blossoms that were in full bloom.   
  
**Some days are better, they're better than others  
Can't run forever, you're pushing me under  
What a way to live my life  
I'm hiding from the battles   
I don't want to fight what I've become**  
  
Sasuke was searching around for Naruto. He had successfully dodged two of his own fan clubs, plus Naruto's and was on his way outside for some air. He went up to the sakura trees, knowing that that was the last place that he would look for Naruto. If the blond wasn't there, then Sasuke was just going to kick his ass in math class next period.   
  
Sasuke was relieved to see Naruto, stretched out in his favorite place with the sun shining down on him. Noticing how peaceful he looked, Sasuke blushed. He shook off the blush, trying to appear normal. Taking a seat next to Naruto, he looked at the sky as well.   
  
"What are you doing here, Sasuke?" Naruto asked in a tired voice.   
  
Sasuke grinned. Naruto had been tired ever since the Naruto Fan Club had been established. Now the two of them were always on the run and Naruto wasn't sleeping in as many classes, for fear of getting jumped by fangirls. Not that it was a misplaced fear. After all, as everyone knows, the only things that are more dangerous than rabid fangirls are rabid dinosaurs. And since they were in short supply, rabid fangirls made up one of the largest fears for any guy who looked half-decent.   
  
"Hiding, like always," Sasuke replied, grinning at his friend. "What are you doing?"  
  
Naruto opened his eyes and smiled. "Thinking."  
  
"About what, dobe?" Sasuke teased. "A girl?"  
  
Naruto felt a blush spread across his cheeks. "N-no!" he protested.   
  
"Come on, you're blushing," Sasuke continued. "It has to be about a girl."  
  
"I-its not about a girl!" Naruto insisted. He pushed himself up onto his elbows.   
  
Sasuke just laughed and ruffled Naruo's hair. Naruto looked up at him with a pout, almost as though he didn't like being treated like a child. Sasuke just stuck his tongue out at Naruto. Naruto shook his head.   
  
"Che, you're such a child Sasuke-chan," he said.   
  
"Tell me who you like, Naruto-kun!" Sasuke yelled playfully. He jumped on Naruto, just sitting on top of him. It had been long enough and after eight months of therapy, Naruto no longer mistook anyone for his father. It had taken him a few months to get used to the fact that Yon was dead and that no one except the usual townsfolk were out to get him. Even their attempts seemed to be slowing down.   
  
"Why do you want to know so much?" Naruto asked.  
  
Sasuke smiled. "Because that's the only part of you that I don't know!" he grinned, looking like a child.   
  
Naruto blushed a little bit as he looked at Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes were closed as he gave the blonde a full smile with the sun behind his back.   
  
"You don't want to know," Naruto sighed, looking away.   
  
Sasuke shook his head. "Yes, I do!" he said, pronouncing every word separately.   
  
"You most definitely don't," Naruto growled.   
  
"Hai, hai, I do!" Sasuke told him. Smirking, he added, "And I'm not letting you up until you tell me who you like."  
  
Naruto narrowed his eyes, knowing that he wasn't going to get out of this easily. He thought about what he could do. It was obvious that he was going to have to tell Sasuke who he liked – which would probably end in him being kicked out of the Uchiha's house, but who knew? The major question was, what could he asked of Sasuke in return?   
  
"All right, teme, I'll tell you, but in return… you'll tell me who you like!" Naruto growled.   
  
Sasuke looked at the boy. Why hadn't he suspected Naruto to ask this? Oh well, no turning back now. "Fine," he told the blonde. "But you tell first!"  
  
"Damn you!" Naruto snarled. Sasuke grinned.   
  
"Come on, tell, tell!"  
  
"I'm gonna kill you one day."  
  
"Fine, kill me later. Just tell."  
  
Sasuke didn't even know why he was so into it now. He just was. It was a reaction to Naruto's reluctance, he supposed.   
  
"So you really wanna know who I like?" Naruto said lazily.   
  
"Yeah, I really wanna know," Sasuke replied, staring at him.   
  
Naruto didn't say a word. He just reached up and grabbed the sides of Sasuke's head, pulling him into a passionate kiss.   
  
Sasuke, after a moment of shock, kissed back just as fiercely.   
  
Pulling back, Naruto grinned in his fox-like way. "There. Now you know who I like," he said.   
  
Sasuke just stared at him before saying in a somewhat husky voice, "And here's who I like." He leaned over and kissed Naruto again.   
  
**And now it's going grey  
All the lines are blurring and decayed  
I can't recall exactly who's to blame   
Anymore  
**  
It was a month later when they announced their relationship to the world. The only people who were not shocked were Kakashi, Iruka, Lee, and Sakura. Sakura had just laughed, saying it was about time. Lee had nodded with a knowing smile. Kakashi ignored them as he continued reading "Icha Icha Paradise" and Iruka had beaten Kakashi over the head for ignoring them.   
  
The fangirls/fanboys had tried to attack them.   
  
And that's where months of practice at running had come very much in handy. In fact, they had had to hide on the roof. Sakura and Lee took refuge up there, after an hour or so of hearing screams in the hallways.   
  
"Oy!" Lee yelled. "So there you are!" The two had just come up onto the roof.   
  
"Yeah, this is where we're hiding – what are you two doing up here?" Naruto asked.   
  
"Hiding from your annoying fanclubs," Sakura replied.   
  
"Hey, we weren't the ones that started the fanclubs," Sasuke told her.   
  
"I was only president for a month, sheesh!"  
  
"You still helped found it!" Naruto grinned.   
  
"Why, I oughta…" Sakura said a moment before her fist came down on Naruto's head.   
  
"OW!" Naruto yelped.   
  
The four listened for a moment as Naruto's scream of pain echoed around the school before they heard what they never wanted to here.   
  
"That was Naruto!" a shrill female voice screamed from somewhere within the recesses of the hallways.   
  
"It came from above us!" yelled another.   
  
"The roof!" bellowed a fanboy.   
  
"LET'S GET HIM!" screamed an entire mob.   
  
Lee, Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a look of horror before getting up and running the other direction.   
  
Behind them they could hear the fangirls/boys gaining on them.   
  
"This is all your fault!" Naruto yelled at Sakura.   
  
"Shut up and run!" was Sakura reply.   
  
Naruto, for once, did as he was told.   
  
**Is it me or is it you? Something isn't right  
Of all the things that we could do, we just want to fight  
Someday I will find the courage to embrace you  
Someday I will find the strength to erase you**  
  
It had felt like they had run miles through the forest before finally collapsing.   
  
"How… the hell… can they… run so fucking… fast?" Sasuke panted as he rolled onto his back, trying to get more oxygen into his lungs.   
  
"I don't… know," Sakura replied. "Fangirls… are among… the weirdest species… on earth…"  
  
Lee and Naruto could only nod in response, both of them too out of breath to speak.   
  
Naruto, after regaining his bearings – a little bit, pounced on Sasuke. "I'm going to blame this all on you!" he whispered in the raven-haired boy's ear.   
  
"Like hell," Sasuke muttered. Like Naruto, he had recovered part of his strength. He flipped the two over, so that he was sitting on top. Sticking his tongue out at Naruto, he grinned.   
  
Beneath him, Naruto pouted. "Bah…" the blonde grumbled.   
  
Lee and Sakura shared a knowing glance before leaving the two to privacy and finding another clearing.   
  
Sasuke and Naruto didn't even notice they left.   
  
Sasuke leaned down and captured Naruto's lips in a kiss. Naruto kissed back,. Unconsciously pulling Sasuke closer to him. Sasuke didn't fight Naruto's embrace as he was pulled towards the other boy.   
  
It seemed like an eternity before they broke for air, but it only happened in the span of a moment. Sasuke looked down at his boyfriend, only love in his eyes as Naruto stared back.   
  
"I love you, dobe," he said with a smile on his face.   
  
Naruto pouted in his adorable way. "Are you ever gonna stop calling me that, teme?" he growled.   
  
"Nope," Sasuke said before catching Naruto into another kiss.   
  
Naruto sighed, not battling the boy about the nickname at the moment whilst he kissed back fiercely.   
  
Little did they know of the circle of fangirls and fanboys that had surrounded them. In the front was Ino and Kiba. Everyone looked heartbroken as they saw Konoha's most eligible make out.   
  
The next time they broke for air, both boys blushed as they saw that they were surrounded.   
  
**Some days I think I am nothing without you  
Some times I wish I could just kill you  
What a way to live out lives  
It's hard to breathe  
It feels like I'm affected by my dad's disease**  
  
"Hey!" Sasuke yelled. "Do you think my boyfriend and me could get a little privacy? Its kinda hard to screw him senseless with people watching us."  
  
"Uhhh… sure," Ino said, looking completely stunned.   
  
"Yeah…" Kiba told them,a faint blush on his cheeks.   
  
In less than three minutes, the two leaders of the fangirls and fanboys had gotten the fanclubs to disperse.   
  
"Well, that worked better than I expected," Sasuke commented.   
  
Naruto only nodded in response.   
  
He leaned forward and kissed Sasuke, hands roaming all over his lover's body.   
  
_((Kyuubi-chan: etc. etc. etc. Just so you know… they have sex right here. Again, I don't really feel like writing them having sex, so you can imagine lots of passion, sweat and all that fun stuff on your own. Okay? Good… sorry for the disappointment people. I'm not a sex scene writer, though at times like these, I wish I was. I also wish that it was NC-17 at times like these. But its not, so just live with me here, k?))  
_  
**And now its going grey  
And you're the one I chose to feed me pain  
And I'm the one you bring home so ashamed   
Through their eyes**  
  
Another year passed by. Itachi had come up to Sasuke and Naruto, telling them that if the sex didn't quiet down, they were going to have to go out and find their own place to live, because he was losing sleep because of it. And nothing was worse than a pissed off Itachi.   
  
"All right, all right," Sasuke said.   
  
He and Naruto piled into Sasuke's car and began looking for new homes.   
  
After weeks of searching, they found a quaint little house on the edge of town where they were sure that no one would bother them. It wasn't huge so Naruto was comfortable, and it wasn't small, so Sasuke was comfortable.   
  
It was a two story Japanese house, complete with sliding doors and a huge garden. In fact, it was on the other side of the forest behind the school, so they didn't have to go far in order to torment Iruka and Kakashi.   
  
There was only one bedroom, but as they were planning on getting married at some point during their lives, what did they care?   
  
The only problem that Naruto could find with it was money. Sasuke readily supplied all the cash they needed, which Naruto had blanched at. After all… these houses were expensive. He had completely forgotten how rich Sasuke was. After living with him, you would forget too, because he never flaunted it.   
  
So, around summer, they settled in to their new house and were able to screw as long and as loud as they pleased. Itachi was just happy about having some peace and quiet again.  
  
**Is it me or is it you? Something isn't right  
Of all the things that we could do, we just want to fight  
Someday I will find the courage to embrace you  
Someday I will find the strength to erase you  
**  
It was their anniversary. Their first anniversary. Both Sasuke and Naruto were in the kitchen, thinking as they were cooking all sorts of sweets and delicacies. Well, Sasuke was cooking. Naruto was trying and failing horribly at cooking.   
  
"Dammit!" Naruto finally yelled, hurling the chocolate chip cookie dough far away from him. "That cookie dough hate me! It's out to get me!"  
  
"DOBE!" Sasuke yelled from under the bright yellow plastic bowl full of cookie dough that had landed on his head.   
  
"Oh, shit…" Naruto mumbled.   
  
Sasuke pulled off the bowl, though some of the dough still clinged to his hair. "'Oh shit' is right!" he yelled as he grabbed a huge spoon and his brownie mix. Using the spoon as a catapult, he shot brownie mix at his lover.   
  
Naruto ducked, making the mix hit the microwave that was behind him. "Ha!" he yelled. "Missed me!" Before he had a chance to duck, a big spoonful of brownie mix hit him in the eye.   
  
Naruto looked stunned before he grabbed the orange and blue sprinkle containers. Holding them like grenades, he took the cap off the blue one and threw it at Sasuke, before diving behind the counter for cover. The sprinkles hit Sasuke and spilled all over the man.   
  
"Success!" Naruto shouted. He took off the cap of orange sprinkles and tossed it at Sasuke. "Die!"  
  
His second hit also scored.   
  
"I'm gonna get you for that one, Naruto!" Sasuke yelled. He grabbed the chocolate syrup and opened it, squeeze it so it shot across the room.  
  
"AARGH!" came Naruto's call. "I've been hit!"  
  
"Ha!" Sasuke replied. "Told you I was gonna get you for that one!"  
  
Naruto grabbed a tiny carton of milk and threw it. Sasuke dodged it, but when it hit the countertop, it exploded, splashing all over the Uchiha.   
  
"Shit!" Sasuke yelled.   
  
Sasuke jumped on the countertop with an icing container and jumped on Naruto, smearing the strawberry ice cream all over Naruto's face.   
  
Naruto took the container of whipped cream and began smearing that on Sasuke.   
  
**And I see myself in heaven  
If I can free myself from this hell**  
  
An hour and a half later, the two collapsed on to each other, tired and worn out from their food fight. Seeing his love decked out in chocolate, Sasuke couldn't help leaning over and carefully licking it off. Slowly, he dragged his tongue down Naruto's cheek, lapping up the icing and chocolate syrup that was there.   
  
Naruto emitted a moan from the back of his throat and Sasuke grinned, further encouraged by these actions. He slowly bit, licked and raked his teeth along the side of Naruto's neck, where a clod of chocolate syrup was, running his tongue up and down the mark he had made there.   
  
Leaning back and looking at Naruto's baby blue eyes, Sasuke smiled. "Happy Anniversary, dobe," he breathed before continuing his work on Naruto's neck and face, trying to lick off as much of the sweets as possible.   
  
"I love you," Naruto whispered to his ear.   
  
"I love you too, dobe," Sasuke smiled. For a moment, he leaned his head on Naruto's chest, allowing himself to hear the heartbeat of the one he loved the most. Smiling, he cuddled up to the blonde. Naruto only wrapped his arms around Sasuke and they sat there, in their half-destroyed kitchen, remembering all the times they had had together. And all the love they shared for each other.   
  
After all – what was an anniversary for, if not to be with the one you loved the most and who loved you in return?  
  
**Is it me or is it you? Something isn't right  
Of all the things that we could do, we just want to fight  
Someday I will find the courage to embrace you  
Someday I will find the strength to erase you  
**  
**Special Thanks To**: _Sean Danielson, Ryan Martin and Derek Gledhill who make up the band, Smile Empty Soul, and who each and every song in this fanfiction is attributed to. Without them… well, I would have to find a different band to use the entire CD for, because I like doing my songfics like that.   
_  
**Replies to Reviews of Chapter 13**:  
  
**chibi chidori16**:_ Yes, I did get the name "Yon" from the word "Yondaime" but I didn't mean for him, in any way, to represent the REAL Yondaime. It was just a little prank-like thing I threw in there. I believe that Yondaime is Naruto's dad, so I figured that I would create "Yon" to be Naruto's evil dad. Just my own little joke. Good job for figuring out! Here's cookies ((gives you cookies))  
_  
**ghostninja85**: _I'm hoping everything worked out for them. What do you think?  
  
_**Ookima**_: Ne… its not like I don't want to review, its just that I only review when I have the time to, and whenever I read yours… I normally don't have time. I'll go back and review all the chapters that I wasn't able to. -.-0 gomen nasai. I'm such an idiot…  
  
_**KARINA**_: Gomen nasai… I didn't mean to make it so evil… well, maybe I did… but even if you were to beat me up… I'm like Naruto… I don't go down without a fight. However, I hoped you liked the ending to this fic. :-P  
  
_**Toki Mirage:**_ No, there is no NejiSasukeNaruto pairing here, but yeah… thanks for reviewing. Your reviews were friking hilarious to read.  
  
_**Naruto and Sasuke's Tenshi**_: You'd have to bribe me with… ((thinks))… a Sasuke plushie. I always wanted one of those. And a Naruto plushie. And a Kakashi plushie. Man, I need a job – just so I can get plushies! Hope you liked this chappie!  
  
_**Rai-Chan:**_ Thanks for reviewing! Compliments are always welcome! Especially if they boost my ego =P  
  
_**ITSAME**_: I think adding Shikamaru to this fic this late would be more than a little strange, what do you think? =D Thanks for being a steadfast reviewer!!!  
  
_**Daydreamer**_: that was very short, but hey – what ever floats your boat and don't sink mine. Thanks for the review – it conveyed all it needed to… I think… gomen… I'm an idiot sometimes and have no clue what I'm saying! -.-  
  
_**kitsune**_: I was surprised that everyone thought that someone else came in and killed Yon… but he smacked his skull pretty hard on the floor… so I would've thought that sufficient enough for him to be dead . Perhaps I should be a little more careful with my descriptions. Also… Naruto was in a coma due A. to the amount of injuries on his body. B. his unstable emotional state. C. shock. Bah… I really have to get better at explaining these things. So sad the fic is over now. Ah, well, I have a few more ideas still in my head for other fics!  
  
_**Aki Rei**_: Yeah, everyone's been commenting on the new and improved human Sasuke in this fic. Well, I'm just trying to model him after his six-year-old self that I saw in the anime and manga. -.-" sorry for making you cry!  
  
_**Dream Fox**_: I hope there was enough fluffiness in this chapter for your liking. I dunno though… I'm not very good in the fluffiness department.   
  
_**End of Story Notes:**  
  
_1. Yeah, some people might be wondering what the hell happened to that project that Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura and the other were supposed to be working on at the beginning of the chapter. Truth is, when I got into the entire storyline, I completely forgot all about it and by the time I remembered it, it was too late to try and put it in somewhere. So let's just say they did a play and got an A, and be happy about it, ne?  
  
2. I just realized how wrong this song is for the last chapter, but you know… blame the CD for that one. I was just going in order of tracks on the CD  
  
3. I'd like to thank Nazo's story Naruto no Hohoemi for the idea about the food fight. Thank you Nazo!_

_4. I never did add in any InoShika... so I changed it to InoKiba. They got together later... blah... I don't know. I just never had a time to add them. Actually... I downright forgot about them. Heheheh... don't kill me... just enjoy the fic!__  
  
_**Kyuubi-chan's Notes:**  
  
_Whoo! I always wanted a hundred reviews on one fic. That was my dream. My highest fic before this was 83, I think. Maybe 87. I can't remember off hand. But I have a feeling I'll get more than a hundred on this fic. At least, I hope I will. After all – its at 97 as I write this.  
  
I know that a lot of the parts in this chapter were perverted in their own ways, but screw it. I needed some of my mind to be in the gutter, because most of its never coming out. Might as well put that most of my mind to some kind of use. That way I won't end up COMPLETELY like Jiraiya-san.   
  
So, how do you like my fic, minna-san? This is the last chapter. I hope you'll stay tuned to my writings though! Arigatou gozimasu!_


End file.
